Postural Assessment Research Articles

Noninstrumented Clinical Assessment of Static Postural Stability in Chronic Ankle Instability: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Several clinical tests are available to assess static postural stability in individuals with chronic ankle instability (CAI); however, it is unclear which test should be used. To determine which noninstrumented clinical tests should be used to detect static postural stability deficits in individuals with CAI. We searched 4 databases from their inception to February 2023, and included studies comparing static postural stability in individuals with CAI and healthy controls using noninstrumented assessments. Two reviewers independently extracted study characteristics, participant information, static postural stability assessment methods, and results. We calculated the pooled standardized mean difference (SMD) and 95% confidence interval using a random effects meta-analysis and assessed the certainty of the evidence. Fourteen cross-sectional studies (293 participants with CAI and 284 healthy controls) were included. The meta-analysis showed no significant differences between the CAI and healthy groups in the double-leg stance condition of the Balance Error Scoring System (BESS) (SMD, -0.03; low-certainty evidence). Significant group differences were found in the BESS single-leg stance (SLS) on firm and foam surfaces (SLS firm: SMD, 0.47, very low-certainty evidence; SLS foam: SMD, 0.80, very low-certainty evidence), the tandem stance (TS) on firm and foam surfaces (TS firm: SMD, 0.39, low-certainty evidence; TS foam: SMD, 0.76, low-certainty evidence), and the total BESS in the foam conditions (SMD, 1.12, very low certainty evidence). Significant differences were also found between the CAI and healthy groups in the foot-lift (SMD, 1.24; very low certainty evidence) and time-in-balance tests (SMD, -0.94; very low certainty evidence). Due to the large magnitude of the differences, the SLS foam, TS foam, and the total BESS in the foam conditions, as well as the foot-lift test or time-in-balance test, may be the most appropriate to clinically identify static postural stability impairment in individuals with CAI.

Kinematic changes of the trunk and lower limbs during voluntary lateral sway postural control in adults with low back pain.

Introduction: Voluntary lateral weight shifting is essential for gait initiation. However, kinematic changes during voluntary lateral weight shifting remain unknown in people with low back pain (LBP). This study aims to explore the differences in kinematics and muscle activation when performing a voluntary lateral weight shifting task between patients with LBP and asymptomatic controls without pain. Methods: Twenty-eight participants volunteered in this study (14 in both the LBP group and the control group). The Sway Discrimination Apparatus (SwayDA) was used to generate a postural sway control task, mimicking lateral weight shifting movements when initiating gait. Kinematic parameters, including range of motion (ROM) and standard deviation of ROM (Std-ROM) of the lumbar spine, pelvis, and lower limb joints, were recorded using a motion capture system during lateral weight shifting. The electroactivity of the trunk and lower limb muscles was measured through surface electromyography using root mean square (RMS). The significant level was 0.05. An independent t-test was employed to compare kinematic parameters, and muscle activation between the LBP group and the control group. A paired-sample t-test, adjusted with Bonferroni correction (significant level of 0.025), was utilized to examine differences between the ipsilateral weight shifting towards side (dominant side) and the contralateral side. Results: The results of kinematic parameters showed significantly decreased ROM and std-ROM of the ipsilateral hip in the transverse plane (tROM = -2.059, p = 0.050; tstd-ROM = -2.670, p = 0.013), as well as decreased ROM of the ipsilateral knee in the coronal plane (t = -2.148, p = 0.042), in the LBP group compared to the control group. For the asymptomatic controls, significantly larger ROM and ROM-std were observed in the hip and knee joints on the ipsilateral side in contrast to the contralateral side (3.287 ≤ t ≤ 4.500, 0.001 ≤ p≤ 0.006), but no significant differences were found between the two sides in the LBP group. In addition, the LBP group showed significantly lower RMS of the biceps femoris than the control group (tRMS = -2.186, p = 0.044). Discussion: Patients with LBP showed a conservative postural control pattern, characterized by reduced ROM of ipsilateral joints and diminished activation of the biceps femoris. These findings suggested the importance of voluntary postural control assessment and intervention to maximize recovery.

Postural Ergonomic Risk Assesment of Augmented Reality User Interface on Smarthpones in Cosmetic Industry Advertising

Augmented reality (AR) technology is widely used in marketing activities and promotional strategies so that many users or customers use it, including beauty products, which already offer many applications that are used as promotional tools. Augmented reality technology is accompanied by technological developments and the COVID-19 pandemic, especially among female customers in various groups, including teenage girls who use many cosmetic products daily. The use of this technology requires an evaluation regarding its use, where in this evaluation, an evaluation can be used in terms of ergonomics for the user using the ergonomics concept PERA (Postural Ergonomic Risk Assessment). This research aims to evaluate the postural risk regarding the level of use of augmented reality technology for beauty product applications used by female students when using AR applications on smartphones when accessing cosmetics industry advertising. This research was conducted on female teenage respondents among vocational school students who focused on skill competencies, namely the Skin and Hair Beauty Department at one of the private vocational schools in the Cilamaya-Karawang area. The sample for data collection in this study was by taking 30 respondents using a saturated sample. The results of this research indicate that there must be an evaluation regarding the level of ergonomics with the PERA measurement results ranging between 7.4 - 11.8, indicating that the AR user interface in the cosmetic industry advertising is in the high-risk category so that further improvements are needed in the future so as not to pose a risk of musculoskeletal disorders in teenagers. Thus, AR developers in the advertising industry must pay attention to the comfort of the user’s posture in terms of duration, smartphone weight, and grip strength when using AR applications.

Smartphone addiction and postural alterations in the cervical region in adolescents.

To evaluate smartphone addiction and postural alterations in the cervical region in adolescents. A cross-sectional study with 281 adolescents (15 to 19 years old), attending the 1st to the 3rd grades of High School, carried out between September and October 2019 in the city of Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil. Data collection took place in two stages. In the first, they answered four self-administered questionnaires: sociodemographic questionnaire, health conditions and smartphone use, Nordic Musculoskeletal Symptom Questionnaire (NMQ), Self-Report Questionnaire (SRQ-20) and the Smartphone Addiction Inventory (SPAI-BR). In the second stage, they were submitted to photogrammetry using the Postural Assessment Software (SAPO) and anthropometric assessment (weight and height). The software SPSS Statistics version 23.0 was used for data analysis. Of the total number of adolescents, 63.3% (n=178) showed smartphone addiction, using it for 5.8 hours (±3.5) during the week and 8.7 (±4.0) hours on the weekend. When analyzing postural alignment in the anterior view, a significant reduction in the lateral head tilt was observed when typing on the smartphone (p=0.002) compared to the anatomical position (baseline). In the lateral view, an increase in head anteriorization was observed during smartphone use (p<0.05). There was an association between smartphone addiction and head anteriorization (p<0.05). The use of the smartphone in the typing position causes postural alterations in the cervical region, especially in adolescents with smartphone addiction. Therefore, health promotion measures that alert adolescents to the adverse effects caused by prolonged smartphone use are necessary.

Correlation between the sacral tilt measured with an inclinometer and the pelvic tilt as a tool for assessing the pelvic position.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to examine whether the forward tilt of the sacrum, which can be measured using an inclinometer, correlates with pelvic tilt and is therefore suitable for therapeutic use as part of a postural assessment for treatment planning or for preventive screening. [Participants and Methods] In 121 athletes (22 females, 99 males), we measured the forward tilt of the sacrum in habitual stance using a digital inclinometer attached to the skin at the level of the posterior superior spinae. At the same time, the forward tilt of the pelvis was determined using videography. For this purpose, we determined the angle between two marker spheres placed on the posterior and anterior superior spinae and the horizontal using sagittal posture photographs. [Results] Taking age as a control variable, we found a significant correlation of moderate strength between pelvic tilt and sacral tilt in men. In women, there was a significant correlation with a strong effect. [Conclusion] The measurement of sacral tilt using an inclinometer positioned on the skin between the posterior superior spinae correlates statistically significantly with pelvic tilt and is therefore suitable as an easy-to-use diagnostic tool for therapeutic use in treatment planning and evaluation.

The ergonomic posture assessment by comparing REBA with RULA &amp; OWAS: A case study in a gas springs factory

The ergonomic posture assessment by comparing REBA with RULA &amp; OWAS: A case study in a gas springs factory

Prolonged Standing-Induced Low Back Pain Is Linked to Extended Lumbar Spine Postures: A Study Linking Lumped Lumbar Spine Passive Stiffness to Standing Posture.

Postural assessments of the lumbar spine lack valuable information about its properties. The purpose of this study was to assess neutral zone (NZ) characteristics via in vivo lumbar spine passive stiffness and relate NZ characteristics to standing lumbar lordosis. A comparison was made between those that develop low back pain during prolonged standing (pain developers) and those that do not (nonpain developers). Twenty-two participants with known pain status stood on level ground, and median lumbar lordosis angle was calculated. Participants were then placed in a near-frictionless jig to characterize their passive stiffness curve and location of their NZ. Overall, both pain developers and nonpain developers stood with a lumbar lordosis angle that was more extended than their NZ boundary. Pain developers stood slightly more extended (in comparison to nonpain developers) and had a lower moment corresponding to the location of their extension NZ boundary. Overall, in comparison to nonpain developers, pain developers displayed a lower moment corresponding to the location of their extension NZ boundary which could correspond to greater laxity in the lumbar spine. This may indicate why pain developers have a tendency to stand further beyond their NZ with greater muscle co-contraction.

The minimal important difference for the Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients in the subacute stage

BackgroundThe minimal important difference (MID) of the Postural Assessment Scale for Stroke Patients (PASS) remains unknown, limiting the interpretation of change scores. ObjectivesTo estimate the MID of the PASS in patients with subacute stroke. MethodsData at admission and discharge for 240 participants were retrieved from a longitudinal study. The “mobility” item of the Barthel Index was used as the anchor for indicating the improvement of posture control. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) method was used to estimate the anchor-based MID of the PASS. ResultsThe ROC method identified a MID of 3.0 points, with a sensitivity of 81.0 % and a specificity of 75.6 %. ConclusionThe MID of the PASS was 3.0 points, indicating that if a patient achieves an improvement of 3.0 or more points on the PASS, they have a clinically important improvement in posture control. Our results can help in interpreting change scores and aid in understanding the clinical values of treatment outcomes.

SaccpaNet: A Separable Atrous Convolution-based Cascade Pyramid Attention Network to Estimate Body Landmarks Using Cross-modal Knowledge Transfer for Under-blanket Sleep Posture Classification.

The accuracy of sleep posture assessment in standard polysomnography might be compromised by the unfamiliar sleep lab environment. In this work, we aim to develop a depth camera-based sleep posture monitoring and classification system for home or community usage and tailor a deep learning model that can account for blanket interference. Our model included a joint coordinate estimation network (JCE) and sleep posture classification network (SPC). SaccpaNet (Separable Atrous Convolution-based Cascade Pyramid Attention Network) was developed using a combination of pyramidal structure of residual separable atrous convolution unit to reduce computational cost and enlarge receptive field. The Saccpa attention unit served as the core of JCE and SPC, while different backbones for SPC were also evaluated. The model was cross-modally pretrained by RGB images from the COCO whole body dataset and then trained/tested using dept image data collected from 150 participants performing seven sleep postures across four blanket conditions. Besides, we applied a data augmentation technique that used intra-class mix-up to synthesize blanket conditions; and an overlaid flip-cut to synthesize partially covered blanket conditions for a robustness that we referred to as the Post-hoc Data Augmentation Robustness Test (PhD-ART). Our model achieved an average precision of estimated joint coordinate (in terms of PCK@0.1) of 0.652 and demonstrated adequate robustness. The overall classification accuracy of sleep postures (F1-score) was 0.885 and 0.940, for 7- and 6-class classification, respectively. Our system was resistant to the interference of blanket, with a spread difference of 2.5%.

Personalized Gym Trainer Using Mediapipe

Abstract: With the growing demand in personalised fitness experiences, this paper takes a fresh look at home workouts by creating a Personalised Gym Trainer with the Mediapipe library. This sophisticated device combines pose detection technology with voice assistance to provide users with real-time feedback and personalised instruction while exercising. The system identifies various exercises accurately and leverages torso point detection for greater precision by leveraging the capabilities of the Mediapipe library and OpenCV for camera tasks. Individual Python modules for certain workouts such as pull-ups and bench press are written to support a flexible and scalable solution. Python, Git, GitHub, and Jenkins are among the tools and technologies used in the process. Furthermore, the Findpose library is used to calculate angles between torso locations, resulting in Providing a quantitative assessment of proper posture. The suggested Personalised Gym Trainer is a promising leap in home fitness solutions, integrating cutting-edge pose detection with voice assistance for an interactive and personalised workout experience.

An evaluation of inter-relationship between cervical posture and skeletal malocclusions

Introduction: The growth pattern of the cervical spine and the craniocervical structure are interconnected, inflencing one another both morphologically and functionally. As a result, stretching the head in relation to the cervical spine leads to notable changes, including greater anterior facial height, a shorter sagittal dimension, and a posterior rotation of the jaw. This study was conducted to determine the correlation between cervical curvature in different sagittal skeletal malocclusions and association between cervical lordosis and maxillary and mandibular base. Materials and Method: One hundred fity adults presenting with skeletal Class I, II, and III malocclusion were investigated, irrespective of growth pattern. Three groups were delineated based on the lateral cephalograms of the selected participants: Group 1 (50 skeletal Class I), Group 2 (50 skeletal Class II), and Group 3 (50 skeletal Class III). A comprehensive assessment of cervical posture was conducted through the measurement of manually traced 15 specifi angles, which were carefully chosen to provide a detailed characterization of cervical variations across all three groups. Validity was assessed using Wilk and Kolmogorov-Smirnov tests, and analysis was done using One way Analysis of variance and Post hoc Turkey’s test. Result: Statistically signifiant correlations (P&lt;.05) were found between angles OPT/HOR and CVT/HOR (representing cervical inclination with reference to the true horizontal plane),NSL/CVT, and FH/CVT (indicating middle craniocervical posture), NSL/RL, FH/RL, and NL/RL(reflcting rotation of mandibular ramus). Conclusion: It was proven that changes in head posture and craniofacial development are strongly correlated. The rotation of the mandibular ramus in relation to the cranium was compared between groups, and was found that skeletal Class II malocclusion subjects had more posterior rotation of the ramus in relation to the cranium and extended head compared to those with skeletal Class III and skeletal Class I malocclusion subjects.

Postural Assessment of Indian Excavation Workers and Prototype Design of Virtual Iron-Pan

The study was conducted among excavation labourers of the construction sites for five different tasks. Five postures were selected from the video recorded at the time of data collection. Analysis of static/dynamic working postures and loads on the various body parts are being done using computer software's which is not possible manually nowadays. In this study, the postures of excavation labourers were assessed using CATIA software during five various excavation operations. Digital Human Analysis (DHM) was developed in the CATIA software for study. RULA, REBA, biomechanical and lifting analysis were performed to detect body risk and loads on the L4/L5 segment of the vertebral column. CATIA software reveals that the excavation labourers are working at high risk. The result evaluated by RULA and REBA for all five working postures indicates that all postures require investigation and need immediate change. The result shows that biomechanical loads at the L4/L5 segments are higher than the NIOSH recommended limit for the task of throwing soil and receiving the pan by some outside labourers. Almost the same effect was observed when lifting of iron-pan where the labourers work in the flexion position. New prototype iron-pan was developed and re-analysis to compare the results with new working techniques in CATIA. This showed that the prototype iron-pan proposed helps to reduce the ergonomic risk during excavation and related work. The CATIA software also provides better results by better evaluation of working postures of labourers at excavation sites.

Postural stability assessment in expert versus amateur basketball players during optic flow stimulation

We evaluated the role of visual stimulation on postural muscles and the changes in the center of pressure (CoP) during standing posture in expert and amateur basketball players. Participants were instructed to look at a fixation point presented on a screen during foveal, peripheral, and full field optic flow stimuli. Postural mechanisms and motor strategies were assessed by simultaneous recordings of stabilometric, oculomotor, and electromyographic data during visual stimulation. We found significant differences between experts and amateurs in the orientation of visual attention. Experts oriented attention to the right of their visual field, while amateurs to the bottom-right. The displacement in the CoP mediolateral direction showed that experts had a greater postural sway of the right leg, while amateurs on the left leg. The entropy-based data analysis of the CoP mediolateral direction exhibited a greater value in amateurs than in experts. The root-mean-square and the coactivation index analysis showed that experts activated mainly the right leg while amateurs the left leg. In conclusion, playing sports for years seems to have induced some strong differences in the standing posture between the right and left sides. Even during non-ecological visual stimulation, athletes maintain postural adaptations to counteract the body oscillation.

The progression of human posture concept and advances in postural assessment techniques

This narrative review delves into the historical and evolutionary aspects of human bipedal upright posture, tracing its development from anthropological perspectives to modern postural analysis methods. It examines the multifaceted factors influencing the evolution of upright posture in human ancestors, challenging the notion of a singular cause. The review highlights various environmental and social hypotheses, such as the need for gathering food, self-defense, or tool use, which may have contributed to this significant evolutionary shift. The concept of posture has been interpreted differently across historical periods, reflecting the prevailing cultural and scientific understanding. From Aristotle’s view of upright posture as a divine gift to Johann Gottfried Herder’s perspective of it as a distinguishing human characteristic from animals, and to the more contemporary views of Henry and Florence Kendall, the evolution of the concept mirrors the changing paradigms in human thought. The development of methods for evaluating posture is also a key focus. The review traces the journey from the introduction of the plumb line in the 1850s, a simple yet effective tool for assessing spinal asymmetries, to the advent of the Adams test and the scoliometer, which revolutionized scoliosis diagnosis. Today, advanced techniques like rasterstereography and AI-based methods offer sophisticated, non-invasive means for detailed posture analysis, minimizing errors and maximizing efficiency. The review emphasizes the ongoing importance of posture in the context of overall health, underscoring the adage of a healthy mind in a healthy body. It illustrates how the study of posture, from its evolutionary roots to modern analytical tools, remains a vital aspect of understanding human health and well-being.

A PORTABLE TECHNOLOGY-BASED BALANCE ASSESSMENT PREDICTS FALL RISKS IN LOW-INCOME COMMUNITY-DWELLING OLDER ADULTS

Abstract Despite strong evidence on the association between balance performance and fall risks, there is a need for further studies among racially diverse low-income communities. Sixty-two healthy, low-income community-dwelling older adults (mean 74.11, SD: 6.34, 61-88 years old) in Central Florida were recruited and administered the BTrackS Balance Tracking System (BBS) for measuring balance performance. BBS is a postural sway-based balance performance assessment, where participants were guided to stand still on the BBS plate with hands on hips and eyes closed for about 1-2 minutes. Fall risk was assessed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s twelve-item self-assessment checklist, Stopping Elderly Accidents, Deaths &amp; Injuries (STEADI). About 58% of participants were African Americans, completed high school (54.8%), lived alone (67.7%), and earned just enough financially (54.8%). The simple regression results indicated that the model explained 14.9% of the variance (R2=.149, F (1,60) = 10.47, p =.002). Higher BBS scores (β = .100, p =.002) were significantly associated with higher fall risk scores. As older adults had reduced balance, their fall risks increased. The findings of this study confirmed the benefits of using a combination of a simple fall risk checklist and a portable assessment technology in enhancing the accessibility of balance and fall risk screening. Furthermore, a technology-based balance performance assessment is key in tailoring fall interventions for older adults with poor balance.

The Effect of Volleyball Training in Trunk Symmetry

The present study aims to determine postural deficiencies in volleyball players depending on the period of practice, in the initiation stage. The evaluation of the posture and the angle between the ankle and the trunk was carried out with the mobile app Apecs-AI Posture Evaluation and Correction System®, the symmetry of the trunk with the "Trunk Symmetry" application included in the device's program. The REEDCO Posture Assessment (RPS) rating scale was used to interpret the results. The results reveal that in maintaining postural activity in optimal conditions in volleyball players, it is recommended to ensure symmetrical strength gains through conditioning training and core stabilization training.

Postural balance impairment of the trunk in adolescents with mesial ratio of dentition before and after surgical treatment in the presence and absence of congenital cervical spine abnormalities

BACKGROUND: In the presence of mandibular malformations and malocclusion, an abnormal morphology of the cervical spine is often detected. Latent neurological abnormalities in patients with possible disorders of spinal cord conduction function are promising in assessing the degree of postural balance impairment, which is well diagnosed by stabilometry.&#x0D; AIM: To evaluate the dynamics of postural stability in adolescents with the mesial ratio of dentition, with and without congenital cervical spine abnormalities, before and after reconstructive operations on the jaws with a constructive bite.&#x0D; MATERIALS AND METHODS: Clinical, radiographic, and two-platform stabilometric studies were conducted in 31 patients aged 15–17 years with combined dentomaxillofacial anomalies, having a mesial ratio of dentition. The main group included 10 adolescents with various congenital cervical spine abnormalities detected by multispiral computed tomography (CT). The control group included 21 patients who did not have CT signs of cervical spine abnormalities. The stabilometric parameters of the movement of the general body pressure center and the pressure centers of the contralateral lower extremities were evaluated in these patients before surgical correction of the bite and from 1 month to 1 year after it.&#x0D; RESULTS: In the main group, postural balance impairment was noted, which was more pronounced before surgical treatment than those in the control group. This was manifested by frontal–sagittal violations of postural stability, pathological increase in the areas of statokinesiograms, linear velocities of the centers of pressure, and abnormally severe asymmetry of stabilometric parameters between the contralateral lower extremities. After the surgical correction of the bite, signs of postural balance deterioration were recorded in the control group: a significant increase in the coefficient, i.e., a sharp change in the direction of movement of the general center of pressure from 18% [15%–20%] to 23% [15%–31%], and the asymmetry of the linear velocities of the centers of pressure of the contralateral lower extremities significantly increased from 0.9 [0.3–1.6] to 2.2 [0.9–4.4] mm/s. In the main group, a positive trend was observed—a change in these parameters toward normalization: that is, a tendency to decrease the coefficient and a significant decrease in the rate of the centers of pressure.&#x0D; CONCLUSIONS: To improve the quality of comprehensive diagnostics and medical rehabilitation of adolescents with congenital and combined dentomaxillofacial anomalies, additional radiographic examination of the cervical spine in combination with stabilometric and kinematic assessment of posture is necessary.

Research on Network Security Situation Assessment Model in Decentralized Computing Environment

Abstract In this paper, decentralized computing is used as an entry point to review the latest research results on network security issues through two methods, namely task assignment and hierarchical analysis, and construct a network security posture assessment model based on decentralized computing. A control framework is constructed by utilizing the functional complementarity of continuous authentication and security threat assessment in order to facilitate real-time observation of the security situation of the network and timely elimination of malicious nodes. A quantitative network security threat posture assessment model is constructed through hierarchical analysis to observe the extent of the breach of confidentiality and integrity of network information based on the security threat posture index. The effectiveness of the network security posture assessment model and method proposed in this paper was verified by empirical analysis in a simulated environment. The results show that after the simulated attack lasts for 12 minutes, the network security risk index measured by the assessment model in the test cascade case becomes larger with the intensification of the network attack, and the risk index value is up to 5.5. In summary, the network security posture assessment model based on decentralized computing designed in this paper can quickly reflect the changes in the security status of the underlying network and provide administrators with the current security status of the network in a macroscopic way.

Musculoskeletal Disorders Risk Levels in Tofu Workers in North Aceh: An Ergonomic Assessment

Tofu is a soy-based food that is popular in Indonesia. One of the supporting factors is that it has high nutritional value and low price. Tofu is produced by micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in all provinces in Indonesia, including in the region of Aceh. Based on the results of observations, the tofu production process still predominantly uses human labor, starting from the washing process to the cutting process. This activity is carried out every day with a high repetition rate. If this is allowed to happen for a long time, workers will be exposed to the risk of musculoskeletal disorders. This study uses the Cornell Musculoskeletal Disorders (CMDQ) questionnaire to assess the workers' work posture and determine the level of occupational hazard risk using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) method. The results of the distribution of questionnaires show that the body parts that experienced pain complaints were the shoulder (right dan left), upper back, upper arm (right and left), lower back, forearm (right and left), also wrist (right and left). It happens in the filtering process. The results of the assessment of work posture with the REBA method show the score of work posture in the filtering process is 13, which means that the filtering posture of workers has a very high risk and must be improved immediately. The present research recommended additional intervention that includes engineering and administrative control methods for reducing those workers' complaints of muscle pain.

Study of the effects of increasing the boom of the coastal application pump of herbicide in ergonomics

The forestry sector has been perfecting and developing techniques to improve its process. This is due to the great competitiveness of the market and the lack of labor. The objective of the work was to evaluate the effect of varying the length of the agrochemical application lance on ergonomics using the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) methodology. This assessment relates the effect of the tool on different parts of the employee's body, and in this way it is possible to obtain a diagnosis through the postural assessment of the equipment during the activity. From this study it was possible to demonstrate that increasing the boom from 53 to 75 cm does not expose employees to negative effects in relation to posture. On the other hand, it was possible to highlight positive points arising from the change, such as productivity gains, less physical exhaustion and employee fatigue.