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Published on: March 11, 2011
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The Short Term Musculoskeletal and Cognitive Effects of Prolonged Sitting During Office Computer Work
Richelle Baker1, Pieter Coenen2,3, Erin Howie4,5
1School of Physiotherapy and Exercise Science, Faculty of Health Science, Curtin University, Perth 6102, Australia. richelle@rabc.com.au.
Summary
Prolonged office sitting increases musculoskeletal discomfort and creative problem-solving errors. Regular breaks are recommended to mitigate these negative effects on sedentary workers.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health
- Ergonomics
- Cognitive Science
Background:
- Office workers experience significant sedentary time, posing risks beyond cardiovascular and metabolic health.
- Prolonged sitting may negatively impact musculoskeletal health and cognitive functions in this population.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effects of two hours of continuous laboratory-based sitting computer work on office workers.
- To assess changes in discomfort, cognitive function (sustained attention, problem-solving), muscle fatigue, body movement, and mental state.
Main Methods:
- Twenty office workers participated in a controlled laboratory setting.
- Participants engaged in two hours of computer-based sitting tasks.
- Measurements included self-reported discomfort, cognitive tests, electromyography for muscle fatigue, kinematic analysis of movement, and mental state assessments.
Main Results:
- Discomfort significantly increased across all body areas, reaching clinically meaningful levels in the low back and hip/thigh/buttock regions.
- Creative problem-solving errors increased, while sustained attention performance remained unchanged.
- No significant changes in muscle fatigue (median frequency/amplitude) were detected, but postural changes (reduced lumbar lordosis, increased pelvic movement) and mental state deterioration occurred.
Conclusions:
- Prolonged sitting in office environments can lead to significant musculoskeletal discomfort and impair specific cognitive functions like creative problem-solving.
- Physical and mental consequences suggest the necessity of incorporating regular breaks to interrupt prolonged sedentary computer work.
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