Effectual Points of View in Occupational Health Management for Persons with Cerebral Palsy —Interventional Case Approach in VDT Work—

Abstract

In our previous study, we elicited effectual points of view (POV) in occupational health management for visual display terminals (VDT) operators with disabilities. In order to validate the POV, two VDT operators with cerebral palsy newly-participated in our case study. Problems were ascertained, and in order to attempt to reduce the workload and improve operability, we performed intervention using ergonomic measures. Evaluations were conducted through observations of the equipment used and posture, as well as measurements of sitting pressure distribution and surface electromyogram. For Case 1 (a 33 yr-old male), a trunk support was introduced inside the armrest of his chair to maintain the trunk in a comfortable position. For Case 2 (a 21 yr-old female), in order to improve her unstable sitting position, we changed her chair and adjusted it to an appropriate desk height. For both cases, we confirmed improvements in posture, sitting pressure distribution, myoelectric potential or operability. We were able to confirm that "maintaining of a comfortable trunk" and "alleviation of excessive bending, extension, and curvature of the spinal column and joints" obtained from the previous study as POV in health management are also effective in the present interventional cases.