Incorrect Posture Research Articles

Prevalence of Non-specific Low Back Pain Among Chinese Healthcare Workers (Surgeons and Surgical Nurses): A Multi-Center Survey Study

Background: Low Back Pain (LBP) is one of the most common diseases affecting many persons including Healthcare Professionals (HCPs). LBP affects the quality of work and daily activities in HCPs. However, many factors contribute to LBP including age, Body Mass Index (BMI) and working experience. Purpose: The objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of LBP and examine the potential risk factors associated with LBP in Chinese HCPs (surgeons and surgical nurses). Method: A cross-sectional survey performed from October 2023 to January 2024. Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QBPDS) was used to assess the rating of LBP impairment. As well as Ovako Working Posture Assessment System (OWAS) is used to assess the working postures of HCPs. In addition to five more questions with yes/no answers. Results: A total of 250 surgeons and surgical nurses were collected from six hospitals with a mean age of 45.8 ± 11.0 years old, 47 females and 203 males. The BMI was 25.07 ± 1.49 kg, and working experience was 20.30 ± 10.0 years. Working hours in a week range from < 50 to > 55 hours. However, the OWAS action category was 1 in 109, 2 in 107, 3 in 30, and 4 in 4 participants. The majority of participants with mild LBP (90.4%), half of them had neck pain, and 26% with knee pain. The QBPDS scores of HCPs with LBP were 10.88 ± 4.78. Moreover, the risk factors associated with LBP include long working hours and incorrect postures of the trunk and lower extremities. As well as notice the orthopedic surgeon was the highest risk among HCPs (p = 0.046, 0.005). Conclusion: LBP is a common disorder in surgeons and surgical nurses and is associated with different factors including age, work experience, BMI, and abnormal working posture.

Isolated and multiple causes of equine dystocia

BackgroundDystocia is rare in horses, but is life-threatening for mares and foals. Therefore, veterinary research depends on up-to-date data to optimise equine dystocia management. In addition, knowledge of the prognosis of equine dystocia is necessary to advise animal owners. This retrospective study of equine dystocia aimed to enrich existing datasets with up-to-date information. For the first time, the focus was on the causes of dystocia that occurred alone or in combination. Over a period of 10 years, 72 cases of dystocia were analysed using a standardised, predetermined diagnosis code.ResultsOf the 72 cases of dystocia, an isolated cause of dystocia was identified in 37 cases (51.4%) and 35 mares showed a combination of two or more causes (48.6%). Foetal causes were significantly more frequent origin of dystocia (66/69) than maternal causes (3/66) (P < 0.0001). Incorrect posture of the foetal forelimbs and head was the most common combination at 25.7%. The most common isolated cause of dystocia was incorrect posture of the foetal forelimbs (18.9%). A foetotomy was performed in 68% of cases. A caesarean section or an extraction was performed in 13.9% of the cases. Three mares died before any obstetric care was provided. Nine mares (12.5%) were not discharged alive. 73 foals were delivered of which 55 were already dead before veterinary treatment began. In relation to the total number of births in which the foetus was alive at the start of obstetric care, the foetal mortality rate was 61.1% and 88.9% by the time the mare was discharged.ConclusionsIt has been demonstrated for the first time that multiple causes of dystocia in horses are almost as common as isolated causes of dystocia. Neonatal mortality remains high, indicating that the timely detection and treatment of dystocia has the highest priority.

ERGONOMICS IN AYURVEDA- A CRITICAL REVIEW

Ayurveda is referred to as a "complete health science" because it strongly emphasises maintaining good health and preventing illness in addition to treating current conditions. The preservation of health, or Swastasya swastya Rakshana, is the primary goal of Ayurveda. Ergonomics is the safe and practical design of objects for human use in a way that minimizes hazards. Although ergonomics is a relatively new field in the modern world, Ayurveda has discussed it in Vishamasana and emphasises the characteristics of furniture used, and various health conditions brought on by incorrect posture and seated patterns. Thus, this study is an initial attempt to clarify the risks associated with postural ergonomics, their impact on health, and how Ayurveda might help control them.

Effects of E-learning for Postural Education in Music Students (El-Poems): A Randomized Controlled Trial Among Iranian Adolescents

AIMS: Musculoskeletal (MSK) pain represents a major health problem facing music students worldwide. There is some evidence that posture education could be effective in reducing pain and disability among music students. The aim of this study was to assess the effectiveness of E-learning for posture education in music students (El-Poems) on the presence of MSK pain, MSK pain intensity, as well as postural behavior. METHODS: This was a matched-pair, two-arm parallel randomized controlled trial. Participants were music students (aged 12–18 yrs), randomized to intervention (n=134) and control (n=133) groups. The education program included four online sessions of the risks of incorrect posture and the necessary skill for correct postural behavior. A numeric rating scale (NRS) and the Nordic body map were used to evaluate the primary outcomes (MSK pain intensity, presence of MSK pain, and location). A secondary outcome (postural behavior) was assessed using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment checklist. Data were collected at two points, baseline and 6-month follow-up. ANOVA and Wilcoxon tests were performed to assess the time x group interaction effect. RESULTS: A total of 267 music students participated this study. Of these, 150 (56.2%) reported at least one symptomatic region over the previous week. A significant reduction was found from baseline to 6-month follow-up in mean scores in the intervention group for MSK pain prevalence (from 55.2% to 43.3%, Z=–2.71, P=0.004, eta-p2=0.07), MSK pain intensity (from 2.21±2.51 to 1.94±2.47, F263=32.27, P&lt;0.001, eta-p2 = 0.11), and postural behavior (from 6.99±2.97 to 6.65±2.72, F263=27.35, P&lt;0.001, eta-p2=0.09). CONCLUSION: The results demonstrated that the E-learning postural education program was associated with a decrease in the prevalence of MSK pain, a reduction in pain intensity, and improved postural behavior.

A Machine Learning Approach to Accurate Gym Exercise Form Detection Using MediaPipe

This paper introduces an automated system for gym exercise form detection, leveraging MediaPipe[1] for real-time pose estimation and OpenCV[2] for computer vision processing. The system analyzes key body landmarks during exercises like squats, deadlifts, and bicep curls, providing immediate feedback on form accuracy. By detecting incorrect postures, such as improper knee alignment or back curvature, the system aims to reduce the risk of injury and enhance workout effectiveness. The proposed approach is designed to be lightweight, accessible, and capable of running on consumer-grade hardware, making it practical for widespread use. Experimental results demonstrate high accuracy in detecting common form errors, showcasing the potential of this system as a cost-effective alternative to traditional personal training. This work contributes to the growing field of automated fitness monitoring and highlights the role of computer vision in improving exercise safety and performance.

Ergonomics in the operating room and surgical training: a survey on the Italian scenario.

Surgical-related injuries are frequent, in fact the reported percentage of musculoskeletal disorders in surgeons is between 47% and 87%. These conditions are caused by long periods of standing, incorrect postures, repeated movements, little rest between operations, the lack of integrated operator rooms, the correct number and arrangement of monitors and the use of non-ergonomic instruments. This survey aims to assess the Italian overview both highlighting how prevalent surgical-related injury is in our surgeons and whether there is an operating room ergonomics education program in Italian surgical specialty schools. An anonymous questionnaire was designed through SurveyMonkey© web application. This survey was composed of 3 different sections concerning the general characteristics of the participants, their surgical background and any training performed, and any injuries or ailments related to the surgical activity. The survey was carried out in the period 1th of December 2022 and the 6th of February 2023. At the close of our survey, 300 responses were collected. Among the participants, the two most represented specialties were Gynecology and Obstetrics (42.3%) and General Surgery (39.7%) and surgeons were mainly employed in the Northern regions of Italy (54.8%). Analyzing the participants' background, 61.7% of the respondents had laparoscopic training during their training and only 53.1% had a pelvic trainer during their residency. In accordance with 98.7% of the respondents, during surgery we have the feeling of being in an uncomfortable position that causes discomfort or muscle pain, and regarding the frequency of these discomforts, the majority of our study population experiences these problems monthly (46.2%), while in 29.6% it is experienced weekly, 12.1% annually and finally 12.1% daily. The surgical approach that is most correlated with these disorders is laparoscopy (62.7%) while the one that causes the least discomfort is robotic surgery (1.4%). These discomforts cause 43.9% of our population to take a break or do short exercises to reduce pain during surgery, and the body areas most affected are the back (61.6%), neck (40.6%) and shoulders (37.8%). Despite this, our survey allows us to highlight some now-known gaps present in the surgical training program of our schools and the lack of protection toward our surgeons during their long career.

Assessing CNN Architectures for Estimating Correct Posture in Cruise Machinists

Cruise machinists operate in dynamic and physically demanding environments where improper posture can lead to musculoskeletal disorders, adversely affecting their health and work efficiency. Current ergonomic assessments in such settings are often generic and not tailored to the unique challenges of maritime operations. This paper presents a novel application of artificial intelligence tools for real-time posture estimation specifically designed for cruise machinists. The primary aim is to enhance occupational health and safety by providing precise, real-time feedback on ergonomic practices. We developed a dataset by capturing video recordings of cruise machinists at work, which were processed to extract skeletal outlines using advanced computer vision techniques. This dataset was used to train deep neural networks, optimizing them for accuracy in diverse and constrained shipboard environments. The networks were tested across various computational platforms to ensure robustness and adaptability. The AI model demonstrated high efficacy in recognizing both correct and incorrect postures under real-world conditions aboard ships. The system significantly outperformed traditional ergonomic assessment tools in terms of speed, accuracy, and the ability to provide instant feedback. The findings suggest that AI-enhanced ergonomic assessments could be a transformative approach for occupational health across various industries.

Association between incorrect postures and curve magnitude of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis in china

BackgroundDespite advancements in school scoliosis screening (SSS), there are still no effective indicators to estimate the severity of spinal curvature. We aim to investigate the association between incorrect postures and curve magnitude of adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) among Chinese adolescents.MethodsIn this SSS program, we examined the incorrect posture, Adam’s forward bending test (FBT) results, and angle of trunk rotation (ATR) in adolescents. Those with suspected scoliosis were referred for a standing anteroposterior whole-spine radiography as outpatients. The radiographic data of 426 students with lateral Cobb angles were collected from 2016 to 2022 and the associations were studied using logistic regression (LR) models and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves.ResultsUnivariate LR revealed that female gender [odds ratio (OR) = 2.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.67–5.09, P < 0.001], age 16–19y (OR = 2.83, 95%CI 1.10–7.28, P = 0.031), right shoulder height (OR = 2.15, 95%CI 1.23–3.75, P = 0.007), right scapula tilt (OR = 2.03, 95%CI 1.18–3.50, P = 0.010), right rib hump (OR = 1.88, 95%CI 1.23–2.85, P = 0.003), right thoracic rotation ≥ 5° (OR = 2.14, 95%CI 1.43–3.20, P < 0.001), and left thoracolumbar kyphosis (OR = 3.79, 95%CI 1.06–13.56, P = 0.041) were all significantly associated with the severity of the curve magnitude. Multivariate LR showed that female gender [adjusted OR (AOR) = 3.23, 95%CI 1.81–5.73, P < 0.001], those aged 16–19y (AOR = 5.08, 95%CI 1.86–13.91, P = 0.002), and with a right rib hump (AOR = 1.72, 95%CI 1.11–2.64, P = 0.015) presented with a higher risk of severe curve magnitude than men, those aged 7–12y, and without a rib hump, respectively. ROC curves further proved that sex, age, shoulder-height difference, scapula tilt, flat back, rib hump, angle of thoracic rotation were the risk predictors for curve magnitude.ConclusionIncorrect posture and ATR, especially the right rib hump, were significantly associated with the curve magnitude of AIS. Early screening for incorrect postures and ATR could be an effective and economical strategy to predict the severity of AIS through SSS in Chinese adolescents.

Development of a smart lumbar posture correction vest

Lack of proper lumbar posture is responsible for the occurrence of neck and shoulder pain, low back pain, and muscle and joint injuries in the abdominal region in more than 75% of individuals. This scenario is influenced by the excessive use of computers in the workplace, prolonged periods of incorrect sitting posture, inadequate posture during daily activities, and repetitive and localized movements, among other factors. Consequently, numerous studies are being carried out with the aim of reducing or eliminating the frequency of the problem. The most common solution proposed by researchers is the use of lumbar posture correction waistcoats. This article has automated a posture correction waistcoat that protects the wearer but also monitors their posture. When incorrect posture is identified, the waistcoat generates a warning signal. To do this, gyro sensors, accelerometer sensors, and vibration motors were installed and supervised by an Arduino microcontroller. A communication system based on Bluetooth technology was used, integrated into an Android app that interacts with the user, displaying monitoring data and providing graphical representations of inappropriate postures. In addition, a health and well-being module was implemented, which suggests a physical exercise routine to prevent back pain. In addition, a therapeutic massage module was included for relaxation and an interface for storing music that can be played while wearing the waistcoat. The results demonstrated that the implemented system generated a smart vest capable of monitoring and alerting the user when an incorrect posture was identified. Furthermore, the results indicated that the health and well-being module provided a positive user experience.

Form Check: Exercise Posture Correction Application

Weightlifting is a popular sport and a hobby of millions; however, the risk of injury is high, primarily when performed with incorrect form/posture due to voluntary or involuntary reasons. It results in a significant loss of strength and hinders progress. The gradual strain on tendons and ligaments causes wear and tear. This paper aims to develop a deep learning model that detects incorrect posture and provides insight into remedial steps that need to be taken to correct the same, thereby providing increased safety and efficiency. Our Form Check model detects a user's form, vector geometry of posture is evaluated and corrected. A graphical representation of the exercise is provided as feedback to the user. Object detection, pose estimation, and action recognition algorithms infer the human skeleton and recognize the exercise. The inconsistency in the exercise performed is determined and mapped to specific imperfections in the stance of users during the exercise through Graph

Development of a nomogram for predicting myopia risk among school-age children: a case-control study

Objectives To analyze the factors influencing myopia and construct a nomogram to forecast the risk of myopia among school-age children, providing a reference for identifying high-risk groups to aid prevention and control. Methods This case-control study enrolled 3512 students from three primary schools in Shenzhen using random cluster sampling for a questionnaire survey, myopia screening and ocular biometric parameter measurement. Logistic regression was used to analyze the influencing factors of myopia, and a nomogram was constructed to forecast myopia risk. Bootstrap resampling was used to verify the practicability of the nomogram. Results Older age (odds ratio[OR] = 1.164; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.111–1.219), female sex (OR = 2.405; 95% CI: 2.003–2.887), maternal myopia (OR = 1.331; 95% CI: 1.114–1.589), incorrect posture during reading and writing (OR = 1.283; 95% CI: 1.078–1.528) and axial length (OR = 7.708; 95% CI: 6.044–8.288) are risk factors for myopia, whereas an increase in corneal radius (OR = 0.036; 95% CI: 0.025–0.052) is a protective factor against myopia. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve of the nomogram was 0.857, and the net benefit was high when the risk threshold of the decision curve analyses (DCA) ranged from 0.20 to 1.00. The measured values were consistent with the prediction. Conclusion The nomogram was accurate in predicting the risk of myopia among schoolchildren. This study provides a reference for screening high-risk students and for individualized myopia prevention and control.

CORRECTIVE AND PREVENTIVE MEASURES FOR THE PREVENTION OF MYOPIA IN STUDENTS IN A UNIVERSITY ENVIRONMENT

Introduction. The relevance of the conducted research is determined, on the one hand, by the unfavorable epidemiological situation regarding myopia among students, and on the other hand, by extremely incomplete knowledge of the mechanisms that mediate its development, progression, and stabilization.&#x0D; The aim of this study is to carry out a comprehensive analysis of factors that contribute to the development of myopia, as well as the development of methods for assessing the risk of its occurrence, prevention of progression and psychological correction of myopia, research on the role of physical exertion in the prevention of visual fatigue and psychological correction of myopia with the help of therapeutic exercises.&#x0D; Materials and methods. The study covered a representative sample of students from different regions of Ukraine. The number of participants was determined on the basis of statistical calculations to achieve sufficient representativeness of the results – 62 first- and second-year students of the Yuri Kondratyuk Poltava Polytechnic National University. The study of the peculiarities of the stability of attention and the speed of attention switching of myopic and normally ophthalmologically healthy students using the "Correction test" method by B. Burdon.&#x0D; Results and discussion. Analyzing the results of the projective method, we can note that myopic individuals have more often (25%) the influence of the family in their lives, in contrast to healthy individuals (10%). Differences are also observed in the indicators of anxiety, in particular, myopic people show more anxiety in relation to society and feel insecurity (41%), in contrast to healthy people (23%). At the same time, there are insignificant differences in openness to communication – myopic people show a high level (56%) in contrast to healthy people (67%). Among students with a reduced relative reserve of accommodation, a decrease in the static endurance of the back muscles was more often observed. It was 17.74% for boys and 22.58% for girls. 32.25% of boys and 77.41% of girls had incorrect postures. To increase the static endurance of the muscles of the back, neck, and press, a technique was developed that included two repetitions of 2-3 exercises for each muscle group with a short interval between repetitions.&#x0D; Conclusions. 1. Refractive disorders corresponding to mild and moderate myopia include restructuring of function at the level of the retina, visual pathways, and cerebral cortex. 2. Under conditions of the presence of myopia in a person, changes occur in the functioning of both the visual sensory system and higher nervous activity, in particular, attention. 3. The presence of myopia is also related to the psychological characteristics of the individual, in particular, the level of anxiety, the degree of independence and the feeling of attachment to the family, the search for protection from society and a safe environment for self-development. 4. Corrective and preventive measures should include a set of measures, such as psychophysiological stimulation of visual analyzers, selection of individual modes of performance of visual loads, increasing the variety of methods of intra-family interaction. 5. The analysis of the results of the study in the university environment of the impact of physical exercises on the problem of myopia among students showed the high effectiveness of physical activity and adapted physical exercises for the prevention of the development of myopia among students.

Design and Improvement of Mobility Aid Walker By Using QFD and TRIZ Method

This research paper aims to address several challenges associated with the use of walkers, namely, the problem of incorrect posture leading to physical discomfort, increased product requirements, lack of collapsibility affecting portability, and storage issues caused by the walker's large size. To effectively overcome these challenges, a combined approach of Quality Function Deployment (QFD) and the Theory of Inventive Problem Solving (TRIZ) is employed. The House of Quality (HOQ) is utilized as a tool to analyze the relationship matrix within the HOQ and the characteristics of the product. The TRIZ method is applied, leveraging 39 parameters and 40 Inventive Principles, to solve the identified problems. The concept development phase encompasses various techniques such as hand sketches, a sketchbook, Solidworks, and other pertinent tools. Subsequently, a prototype is developed and subjected to a validation survey. The results of the survey demonstrate a high level of satisfaction among the respondents, indicating that the walker successfully fulfills their requirements.

Effect of Therapeutic Exercise in Postural Low Back Pain: A Case Report

Postural low back pain (LBP) is a non-specific LBP defined as pain or discomfort in low back areas caused by incorrect posture for ages. Most patients only experience mild and moderate pain from low back pain, however, it can cause chronic pain and disability for several groups. This case report aims to investigate the effect of therapeutic exercise on posture and pain in postural LBP. A 37-year-old male presented with LBP for 4 months with Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) 7. Physical examination showed impaired posture, wide base gait, limitation ROM of trunk, reduced breathing count test, muscle spasm at upper and lower back areas, positive in Thomas test, Ely test, and hamstring tightness test. The back pain functional scale (BPFS) was 7. The therapeutic exercise program consisted stretching exercises (neck, upper and lower back, hamstring, rectus femoris, iliopsoas muscle), core strengthening, William’s flexion, McKenzie’s, breathing and chest expansion exercise, alongside proprioceptive exercise. One cycle (eight times) of physical modalities, TENS at paralumbal and USD at paracervical, upper and middle trapezius, rhomboid, sternocleidomastoideus, paralumbal, and insertion of hamstring were given. We evaluated the patient’s condition for about 4 months, and the patient showed a good compliance with improvement in pain score, ROM of the trunk, reduced muscle spasm and tightness, improved posture, gait, breathing, and BPFS. The patient can return to do his job again. This case report is able to demonstrate that therapeutic exercise improves clinical and functional conditions. These findings suggest the clinical implications of therapeutic exercise in patients with postural LBP are beneficial.

A GERINCDEFORMITÁS MEGELŐZÉSÉNEK MÓDSZERTANI ASPEKTUSAI A GYÓGYTESTNEVELÉS TERÜLETÉN

Correct posture is important for health and performance and is also the key to maintaining health. Incorrect posture can have many negative consequences for our physical and mental health. The study undertakes to present the incidence rates of postural disorders and scoliosis in the different grades of public education students based on Hungarian national statistical data, as well as to highlight the age group at risk based on the incidence. In adolescence, we encounter a much higher incidence of posture disorders and scoliosis, one of the reasons for which may be growth, which is not followed by adequate strength of the trunk muscles, but is also influenced by lifestyle factors. Another goal of the article is to provide guidance to physical therapists by collecting methods and tools for the prevention of spinal deformities, helping them implement primary prevention and spinal protection. A lifestyle rich in movement, leisure sports and physical activity can play an outstanding role in preventing poor posture, scoliosis and pes planus diagnosis in students.&#x0D;

Dry Needling Effects of the Upper Trapezius Muscle on the Angles and Range of Motion of the Neck in Individuals with Forward Head Posture

Introduction: Forward head posture (FHP) is one of the most common positional deviations. Frequent users often exhibit incorrect posture because of the rising popularity of media devices, such as smartphones and computers. This posture leads to changes in muscle activity in cervical flexion and extension. It is defined by hyperextension of the upper cervical vertebrae and forward translation of the cervical vertebrae. This study evaluates the effect of dry needles as a new method in the upper trapezius muscle on the neck’s angles and range of motion (ROM) in individuals with FHP&#x0D; Materials and Methods: In this quasi-experimental interventional study, 18 women with FHP underwent a dry needle session. The photogrammetry of the cranio-vertebral angle measured the degree of FHP. Visual analog scale (VAS), pain pressure threshold (PPT), cranio-vertebral angle (CVA) and cranio-horizontal angles (CHA), ROM, scapular index (SI), and forward shoulder translation (FST) were assessed before and after the intervention.&#x0D; Results: The results demonstrated that after the intervention, right and left PPT, flexion, and proper neck rotation, right and left SI, CVA, and CHA were significantly improved (P&lt;0.05).&#x0D; Conclusion: The results showed that one session of dry needling with stretching exercises intervention could improve PPT, ROM, SI, CVA, and CHA and consequently improve FHP.

Comparison of CNN-based methods for yoga pose classification

Yoga is an exercise developed in ancient India. People perform yoga in order to have mental, physical, and spiritual benefits. While yoga helps build strength in the mind and body, incorrect postures might result in serious injuries. Therefore, yoga exercisers need either an expert or a platform to receive feedback on their performance. Since access to experts is not an option for everyone, a system to provide feedback on the yoga poses is required. To this end, commercial products such as smart yoga mats and smart pants are produced; Kinect cameras, sensors, and wearable devices are used. However, these solutions are either uncomfortable to wear or not affordable for everyone. Nonetheless, a system that employs computer vision techniques is a requirement. In this paper, we propose a deep-learning model for yoga pose classification, which is the first step of a quality assessment and personalized feedback system. We introduce a wavelet-based model that first takes wavelet transform of input images. The acquired subbands, i.e., approximation, horizontal, vertical, and diagonal coefficients of the wavelet transform are then fed into separate convolutional neural networks (CNN). The obtained probability results for each group are fused to predict the final yoga class. A publicly available dataset with 5 yoga poses is used. Since the number of images in the dataset is not enough for a deep learning model, we also perform data augmentation to increase the number of images. We compare our results to a CNN model and the three models that employ the subbands separately. Results obtained using the proposed model outperforms the accuracy output achieved with the compared models. While the regular CNN model has 61% and 50% accuracy for the training and test data, the proposed model achieves 91% and 80%, respectively.

The impact of excessive use of smart portable devices on neck pain and associated musculoskeletal symptoms. Prospective questionnaire-based study and review of literature

BackgroundThe rapid advancement of the digital revolution, normalization of portable smart gadgets, and internet-based communication have resulted in a perceptible shift and enhancement in human spine posture. They have also resulted however, in the emergence of health issues connected to the technique of usage. Neck pain, as well as other related symptoms, are the most commonly reported, as evidenced by the Coronavirus pandemic. People were urged to work from home when educational institutions and businesses were shut down. Students were given access to online learning facilities. AimThe aim of this study is to demonstrate and clarify the increase in the number of young patients who suffer from neck pain and its associated symptoms; especially during the COVID 19 pandemic. The objective of this study is to investigate the impact of the excessive use of smart portable devices on neck pain and associated symptoms. This is most likely related to the incorrect posture of the neck, spine and body during utilization of these technologies. In addition, it aims to educate people about possible methods to prevent these medical morbidities. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted at Mediclinic City Hospital, Dubai Healthcare City, United Arab Emirates. Fifty-six patients were seen and evaluated as outpatients in the Neurosurgery clinic for neck pain. The Numerical Rating Pain Scale questionnaire (NMQ) was utilized to evaluate neck pain and other associated complaints such as back and musculoskeletal pain in general. The data was collected using a questionnaire with a 100% response rate from the patients. Cross tabulation and Chi Square analysis tool were designed to meet the study’s objective. ResultsThe findings show that smart phone and laptop use have significant effects on pain severity ranking among patients. For the factors “Time spent using smart phone/day” and Time spent using Laptop/day” were found to have a P value of 0.041 and 0.023; respectively. ConclusionThis research found a link between length of time spent using a mobile phone or laptop and the degree of neck discomfort.

Effects of a posture correction feedback system on neck and trunk posture and muscle activity during computer work

BackgroundComputer work often involves prolonged periods of static sitting, which can result in incorrect posture and increase the risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders and associated pain. The incidence of neck pain among computer workers is increasing due to the association with incorrect posture. To solve the problem accurately, it is necessary to correct the incorrect posture. ObjectiveThis study investigated how the angle and muscle activity of the upper body changed when a posture correction feedback (PCF) system was applied during computer work. MethodsFifteen healthy, young adults participated in this study that was conducted in two sessions of 16 min each: the first without feedback and the second with feedback. Neck and trunk angle changes of the participants, as well as cervical erector spinae, upper trapezius, and thoracic erector spinae muscle activation, were measured during computer work. Kinematic and kinetic data were analyzed using a two-way repeated analysis of variance. ResultsNeck and trunk flexion were reduced with the feedback system. Muscle activation of the cervical erector spinae significantly increased over time with computer use and decreased with feedback system use (p < 0.05). ConclusionOur study demonstrates the PCF system may be an effective tool for alleviating postural stress in the neck and trunk in an office setting. Relevance to industryThe PCF system can assist computer workers in improving posture. This demonstrates ergonomic benefits and does not interfere with computer work, making it suitable for use in a real work environment. This can help prevent musculoskeletal disorders and associated pain resulting from prolonged computer work.

Importance of ergonomics applied to dentistry in clinical students of the dental career of the University of Chimborazo

Introduction: the implementation of ergonomic principles in the field of dentistry is beneficial for the personnel, assistants and patients, since it helps to facilitate an efficient and well-coordinated way of working, with costs that are adjusted to the objectives and needs of each of the parties involved. Objective: to identify the main ergonomic risk factors of the students of the Dental Care Unit of the UNACH.Method: this is a cross-sectional study, with a descriptive type of research, with a quantitative-qualitative approach and observational modality on the part of the researcher. The population is 120 students of the dental care unit of clinics I and IV of the National University of Chimborazo in the period October - March 2019 to 2020. We proceeded with the application of a survey using as an instrument a questionnaire of questions, this questionnaire was designed with the specific focus of inquiring about the knowledge about ergonomic risks.Results: showed that, in spite of an acceptable knowledge, the working postures registered are mostly incorrect, which is reflected in the reported discomfort, mainly at the back level. As a contribution to the analysis, the ergonomic risk prevention protocol developed as a result of the study focused on body positions, work tools and personal protective equipment. Its implementation is aimed at improving work comfort, reducing stress and reducing injuries derived from incorrect postures during clinical interventions