Active Breaks Reduce Back Overload during Prolonged Sitting: Ergonomic Analysis with Infrared Thermography

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Ergonomics
• Biomedical Engineering

Background:

• Prolonged sitting is a significant risk factor for musculoskeletal disorders among office workers.
• Muscle overload and strain are common issues associated with sedentary work environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of active breaks in mitigating muscle overload in prolonged sitting.
• To assess the utility of infrared thermography (IRT) as a non-invasive tool for monitoring back muscle strain.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 57 office workers divided into active break (AB) and no active break (NAB) groups.
• Participants sat for 90 minutes, with the AB group performing exercises every 30 minutes.
• Infrared thermography (IRT) was used to measure skin temperature changes in the back at 30-minute intervals.

Main Results:

• Skin temperature increased in both groups initially, but decreased in the AB group during subsequent measurements.
• The NAB group maintained elevated skin temperatures, indicating persistent muscle strain.
• Statistically significant differences in temperature changes (Δt1-2 and Δt1-3) were observed between the groups across all back regions (p < 0.001).

Conclusions:

• Prolonged sitting negatively impacts back health, contributing to muscle overload.
• Active breaks are effective in reducing back strain and are recommended for workplace interventions.
• IRT is a viable non-invasive method for assessing back muscle overload and intervention effectiveness in sedentary workers.