Indian Journal of Physiotherapy & Occupational Therapy-An International Journal

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Effect of Body Mass Index on Posture and Flexibility of Computer Professionals in a Developed Ergonomic Setup


Affiliations
1 Goutham College of Physiotherapy, Bangalore, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Study design: A descriptive co-relational study. Aims&Objectives: To identify the correlation between different Body Mass Index with Dynamic Posture and Flexibility of Computer workers in a Developed Ergonomic setup. Summary&Background: Work urgency, work accuracy and work demands force the computer professionals to spend longer hours with computer. At the same time they do not give importance to their health, especially body weight. Increase in body weight leads to improper Body Mass Index which may affect on their work posture and flexibility. This study will explore and quantify the different dimensional static and dynamic (work) posture and flexibility in a developed ergonomic setup. Methods: A total of 100 computer workers aged 25- 35 years randomly selected from Computer and BPO companies in Bangalore, INDIA, participated in this study. Every individual's static and dynamic posture and flexibility were assessed and correlated to their body mass index. Data Analysis: The effect of BMI on Flexibility was analyzed by ANOVA. Separate Chi square analysis was done to associate BMI with Dynamic Posture score RULA. Also a multivariate discriminant functional analysis was done to predict the BMI based on study parameters. Result: A significant correlation (p<0.001) was seen with high BMI computer workers with increase scores of dynamic posture and decrease of flexibility in a developed ergonomic setup. Conclusion: This study provides the insight to the Physicians, Physiotherapists and Ergonomists about the relationship between BMI and Posture&flexibility in order to formulate well designed training program for making the computer professionals free from occupational injury.

Keywords

Body Mass Index, Posture, Flexibility, Ergonomic Setup, Rapid Upper Limb Assessment
Subscription Login to verify subscription
User
Notifications
Font Size


  • Mary Brophy, Cristin Grant. Office Ergonomics. Occupational Ergonomics Theory and Practice. Marcel Dekker Inc. 1996; pp 387.

  • Bureau of Labor Statistics, BLS Report on survey of occupational injuries and illness in 1990 (press release USDC-91-600) and unpublished BLS analysis for finance, insurance and real estate workers, US Department of Labor, Washington DC, 1991.

  • J. Franklin. Labor department. Half of the jobs illnesses are RSIs. VDT News 8(1):7-8, 1991.

  • A.C. Guyton. Physiology of Human Body. Sounders. New York, 1989; pp 650-658.

  • J. Kramer. Biomechanische Verandenungen in Lumblen Bewegungesegment, Hippocrates, Stuttgart, 1973.

  • Susan J Isernhagen. Corporate fitness and prevention of Industrial injuries. Prevention Practice. Strategies of Physical Therapy and Occupational Therapy. W B. Sounder. 1992; pp 364.

  • Vanharanta H. Etiology, epidemiology, and natural history of lumbar disc disease. Spine state of the Art Rev 1989; 3(1):1-12.

  • Deyo RA, Bass JE. Life and low back pain. The influence of smoking and obesity. Spine. 1989; 14: 501-506.

  • Gilleard W, Smith T. Effect of obesity on posture and hip joint movements during a standing task and trunk forward flexion motion. Int J Obes (Lond).2007feb; 267-71.

  • Executive summary of clinical guidelines on the identification, evaluation and treatment of overweight, obesity in adults. Arch Intern Med 1998; 158:1855.

  • World Health Organization; Obesity: Preventing and managing the global epidemic. Report of WHO constitution presented at World Health Organization; June 3-5, 1997; Geneva, Switzerland. Publication WHO/NUT/NCD/98.1.

  • William D McArdle, Frank I Katch, Victor L Katch. Williams &Wilkins 5th edn. 1990; pp755-760.

  • Kendal FP, Mc Creary EK, Provance PG. Muscles: Testing and Function. Baltimore. Williams & Wilkins. 1993; pp69-90.

  • Lynn Mc Atamney, E Nigel Corlett. RULA: a survey method for investigation of work related upper limb disorders. Applied Ergonomics 1993; 24(2): 91-99.

  • Hopkins D R, Hoeger WWK. A comparison of the sitand- reach test and the modified sit-and-reach test in the measurement of flexibility in males. Journal of Applied Sports science 1992; (6) 7-8.

  • Eastman Kodak Co. Human Factor Section. Ergonomics for People at Work. Van Nostrand Reinhold. New York. 1996.

  • Angshuman Bagchee, Amit Bhattacharya. Biomechanical Aspect of Body Movement. Occupational Ergonomics. Marcel Dekker Inc. 1996;pp104.

  • Larsson S, Bodegard L, Henriksson K, et al. Chronic trapezius myalgia morphology and blood flow studied in 17 patients. Acta Orthop Scand 1990; 61:394.

  • Kim J, Must A, Fitzmaurice G M, Gillman M W, Chomitz V, Kramer E, McGowan R, Peterson K E. Relationship of physical fitness to prevalence and incidence of over weight among school children. Obes Response. 2005 Jul; 13(7):1246-54.

  • Tokmakidis S P, Kasambalis A, Christodoulos A D.Fitness levels of Greek primary school children in relationship to over weight and obesity. Eur J Pediatr. 2006 Dec;163(12):867-74.


Abstract Views: 547

PDF Views: 0




  • Effect of Body Mass Index on Posture and Flexibility of Computer Professionals in a Developed Ergonomic Setup

Abstract Views: 547  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

Jasobanta Sethi
Goutham College of Physiotherapy, Bangalore, India

Abstract


Study design: A descriptive co-relational study. Aims&Objectives: To identify the correlation between different Body Mass Index with Dynamic Posture and Flexibility of Computer workers in a Developed Ergonomic setup. Summary&Background: Work urgency, work accuracy and work demands force the computer professionals to spend longer hours with computer. At the same time they do not give importance to their health, especially body weight. Increase in body weight leads to improper Body Mass Index which may affect on their work posture and flexibility. This study will explore and quantify the different dimensional static and dynamic (work) posture and flexibility in a developed ergonomic setup. Methods: A total of 100 computer workers aged 25- 35 years randomly selected from Computer and BPO companies in Bangalore, INDIA, participated in this study. Every individual's static and dynamic posture and flexibility were assessed and correlated to their body mass index. Data Analysis: The effect of BMI on Flexibility was analyzed by ANOVA. Separate Chi square analysis was done to associate BMI with Dynamic Posture score RULA. Also a multivariate discriminant functional analysis was done to predict the BMI based on study parameters. Result: A significant correlation (p<0.001) was seen with high BMI computer workers with increase scores of dynamic posture and decrease of flexibility in a developed ergonomic setup. Conclusion: This study provides the insight to the Physicians, Physiotherapists and Ergonomists about the relationship between BMI and Posture&flexibility in order to formulate well designed training program for making the computer professionals free from occupational injury.

Keywords


Body Mass Index, Posture, Flexibility, Ergonomic Setup, Rapid Upper Limb Assessment

References