Differences in upper body posture between individuals with and without chronic idiopathic neck pain during...

Area of Science:

• Ergonomics and Biomechanics
• Musculoskeletal Health
• Digital Health

Background:

• Computer use is linked to poor posture and increased neck pain risk.
• Understanding posture differences can inform pain prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare upper body kinematics between individuals with and without chronic neck pain.
• To analyze posture during various computer tasks (tablet, laptop, desktop) in sitting and standing positions.

Main Methods:

• Utilized 3D motion capture to assess upper body kinematics in 44 participants (22 with chronic neck pain, 22 controls).
• Evaluated posture during a typing task across four conditions: seated/standing tablet, laptop, and desktop use.
• Employed generalized linear mixed models to analyze kinematic differences between groups.

Main Results:

• Individuals with neck pain showed significantly less head-neck/upper trunk flexion and more upper trunk flexion.
• Greater bilateral shoulder flexion and less right elbow flexion were observed in the neck pain group.
• A trend towards less left elbow flexion and a smaller craniocervical angle in the seated desktop condition was noted for the neck pain group.

Conclusions:

• Consistent differences in upper body posture exist between individuals with and without chronic neck pain during computer work.
• These distinct postures may be aggravating factors contributing to the experience of neck pain.