The use of adjustable furniture: Evaluation of an instruction programme for office workers

A programme was designed in which instruction was given in the optimal adjustment of seat and desk height based on individually measured body dimensions. The programme was evaluated by means of measurement of seat and desk height before and after instruction to an experimental group in comparison with a control group to which no instruction was given. In the experimental group, prior to instruction, the mean deviation from the ideal sitting posture measured 71 mm for seat height and 70 mm for desk height. After instruction this deviation decreased by 11 mm for seat height and 18 mm for desk height. Although this is a statistically significant change, it is of limited practical importance since for seat height only 7% (3 of 41) and for desk height 13% (5 of 40) adjusted their furniture effectively as they were advised. The reasons for this meagre result are assumed to be the arbitrary concept of an ideal sitting posture, difficulties in obtaining extra adjustments in the form of footrests and desk elevation, the social acceptability of the advice given, and practical impediments that can occur while adopting an ideal sitting posture.