POSTURE ADJUSTMENT PROCEDURES FOR CHILDREN WHEN USING ADULT VDT WORKSTATIONS WITH LIMITED ADJUSTABILITY

Area of Science:

• Ergonomics
• Occupational Health
• Human-Computer Interaction

Background:

• Children frequently use adult-sized computer workstations not designed for their anthropometry.
• Limited adjustability of adult visual display terminal (VDT) workstations leads to awkward and potentially harmful seated postures in children.
• This necessitates ergonomic solutions for adapting existing workstations for pediatric users.

Purpose of the Study:

• To propose simple, step-by-step procedures for estimating necessary adjustments for children at VDT workstations with limited adjustability.
• To enable children to achieve and maintain appropriate seated postures.
• To identify necessary accessories for optimizing workstation ergonomics for pediatric users.

Main Methods:

• Utilized anthropometric data and VDT workstation specifications to compute recommended settings.
• Developed procedures to compare recommended settings with actual workstation adjustment ranges.
• Employed the Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA) technique to evaluate seated postures before and after adjustments.
• Tested procedures on four Thai children using two types of adult VDT workstations.

Main Results:

• The proposed procedures can determine appropriate VDT workstation settings and suggest necessary accessories for children.
• Post-adjustment evaluations using RULA indicated improved seated postures.
• Children require dedicated, fully adjustable VDT workstations for optimal ergonomics.
• When using adult workstations, specific adjustment accessories and correct settings are crucial.

Conclusions:

• The developed procedures offer a practical method for improving children's seated posture at VDT workstations.
• Adaptation of adult workstations with accessories can mitigate ergonomic risks for child users.
• Emphasizes the need for adjustable workstations tailored to children's anthropometric needs to prevent musculoskeletal issues.