Development of seat cushion to improve Lumbo-pelvic posture and pain in office workers

Abstract

Prolonged sitting within office workers can cause lower back pain and disorders relating to poor lumbar and pelvic posture. The ergonomic seat cushion plays a role in adjusting the chair by increasing seat pan inclination to improve sitting posture. The purpose of this study was to create an innovative seat cushion based on an ergonomic design to improve anterior pelvic tilt and lumbar lordotic curve and prevent percieved pain intensity. Firstly, The study was to design and make a prototype of a new seat cushion. Pugh matrix was used to evaluate the new seat cushion against existing seat cushions in the design process. Two new seat cushions were developed. Secondly, it was to conduct the new seat cushion design to compare the interested indication. Thirty-Six healthy office workers in prolonged sitting positions were analyzed and the study results were evaluated by the kinematics and pain scale. The percieved pain score and interesting angles were compared between before and after sitting and among each trial as sitting on the chair with the addition of two various seat cushion designs. The results illustrated that the new seat cushion could reduce pain at lower back region and extend sitting duration while working from an improved sitting posture. © 2023 Author(s).