An overview of research on seating.

Abstract

This review considers the following areas of seating research: anthropometrics (the use of body measurements to determine chair dimensions); anatomy (sitting posture and spinal curvature); muscle activity (the effect of different sitting positions on the muscles of the back); comfort; weight-bearing (prevention of pressure sores); ease of rising; and seating for the disabled (including contoured seating and armchairs). The major contributions in each area will be outlined in turn. If the total requirements for a chair are to be met, aspects of all of these factors may need to be considered in chair design. Despite this body of research many seating problems have not been solved. It is suggested that a bio-engineering approach may be more successful in providing answers than many of the subjective and comparative trials of the past.