Are Measures of Postural Behavior Using Motion Sensors in Seated Office Workers Reliable?

Abstract

In this study, the reliability of measures of upper body postural behavior (head, thorax, neck, and arm) during sustained office work was evaluated. Although there has been a substantial body of research examining the technical aspects of posture measurement in office workers using motion sensors, there is a paucity of literature examining whether posture-related behaviors are actually consistent among office workers in the field on different days and times. Thirty one office workers performed their usual work for three, 1-hr sessions (two morning sessions and one afternoon session) while wearing wireless motion sensors. Reliability coefficients of the derived measures of postural behavior were calculated. Most (30/31) of the postural behavior measures demonstrated modest to excellent reliability (ICC 2.1: 0.48-0.84). Reliability appeared to be mildly affected by factors such as the time of day recordings were taken and variations in desk setups. The findings suggest these measures may be a reliable method for evaluating postural behavior in the office work environment in future studies. Postural measurement using a technical motion sensor described an acceptable reliability to be used for risk assessment in the workplace. Consideration of assessment time and desk setting would increase the accuracy of postural measurement.