MISMATCH IN BODY–CHAIR DIMENSIONS AND THE ASSOCIATED MUSCULOSKELETAL PAIN AMONG SELECTED UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS IN GHANA

Abstract

Purpose: To assess the misfit in body–chair dimensions with regard to the occurrence of musculoskeletal pain among undergraduates. Methods: Selected undergraduate students of School of Allied Health Sciences University of Ghana, participated in this study. The popliteal height, buttock-popliteal length and the hip breadth of the students were measured in sitting using retractable tape measure. The corresponding seat height, seat depth and seat width of three fixed-style lecture hall chairs were similarly measured and the average scores were determined. Mismatch or fit in body–chair dimension were calculated through a standard rule. The associated musculoskeletal pain as reported by the participants was assessed using numerical rating scale. Data were analyzed with percentage, mean, standard deviation and Krukas–Wallis test at p < 0.05. Results: A total of 126 students with mean age 22 ± 01 years were recruited. The mean popliteal height, buttock-popliteal length and hip breadth of the students were 40.8(4.5), 46.8(4.6) and 35.3(3.3) cm, respectively while the corresponding average chair dimensions for seat height, seat depth and seat width were 52.0, 51.0 and 53.0 cm, respectively. Appreciable number of the students mismatched the lecture hall chair at the three levels of study. About 114 (90.5%) of the students attributed their pain to the study chairs in which 40 (31.7%) and 38 (30.2%) were in their fourth and second years of study, respectively. Lower back pain was the most prevalent (38.6%) among the sampled students. Conclusion: The large proportion of the incompatibility indicated that the school chairs were not designed based on anthropometric dimensions, thus giving insight into the source of the pain.