Abstract
VDT work consists of static muscle activity in the arms, neck, shoulders and back to keep the head and hands in a mostly fixed working position. The aim of this study was to investigate alternative VDT workstation configurations that may reduce the muscle force of these static contractions by providing support to the head/neck, arm and back regions of the body. Effects of an inclined chair back with headrest and a chair mounted split keyboard (CMSK) were investigated. For a typing task, combining a CMSK with the headrest and inclined chair back resulted in significantly lower muscle activity in the neck (>35% reduction) and shoulders (>64% reduction), compared to utilizing a straight keyboard in a more upright posture without a headrest. No significant difference in typing accuracy existed between the configurations; however, productivity was reduced with the CMSK. Potential applications for alternative VDT work postures are discussed.
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