The Effects of Head Support on Muscle Activity and Pain in a Forward-leaning Posture
Background: Because a forward-leaning posture can cause increased back muscle activity and pain. Therefore, an innovative method to reduce back muscle activity and pain is required. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a head support on muscle activity and pain in a forward-lea...
Main Authors: | , , |
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Format: | Article |
Language: | English |
Published: |
Korean Research Society of Physical Therapy
2020-11-01
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Series: | Physical Therapy Korea |
Subjects: |
Summary: | Background: Because a forward-leaning posture can cause increased back muscle activity
and pain. Therefore, an innovative method to reduce back muscle activity and pain is required.
Objects: This study aimed to investigate the effects of a head support on muscle activity and
pain in a forward-leaning posture.
Methods: A total of 14 male and 16 female students (average age, 21.65 ± 2.37 years;
height, 166.15 ± 7.90 cm; and weight, 60.65 ± 9.00 kg) were recruited for the experiment.
Two of them were excluded due to musculoskeletal disorders. The muscle activity and pain
in the forward-leaning posture were assessed while participants washed dishes for 7 minutes
with and without a head support. The condition of using a head support was randomly performed
with a 5-minutes break. To confirm a lumbar flexion angle of 30° during the experiment,
myoVIDEO was used, and surface electromyography was used to measure muscle activity.
Pain was assessed using a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS). The Wilcoxon signed-rank
test was used to analyze the data, with p < 0.05 indicating statistical significance.
Results: The cervical, thoracic, and lumbar erector spinae muscle activities significantly decreased
with the use of the head support, but there was no significant change in the gluteus
maximus. There was a significant decrease in the VAS score for the lumbar erector spinae (p <
0.05), but there was no significant change in the VAS score for the cervical region.
Conclusion: The use of a head support in a forward-leaning posture reduced cervical, thoracic,
and lumbar erector muscle activity and pain. Therefore, it could be recommended during
working in a forward-leaning posture, such as during dishwashing, cooking, and working
as a factory employee. |
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ISSN: | 1225-8962 2287-982X |