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The effect of walking while typing on neck/shoulder patterns

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Abstract

Purpose

This project aimed to quantify the effects of modifying computer work posture on neck/shoulder patterns during a prolonged typing task.

Method

Twenty healthy participants completed a 90-min typing task while sitting or walking on a treadmill. Electromyography (EMG) was recorded from eight upper body muscles and laser Doppler flowmetry (LDF) from two upper body sites. Effects of Time and Posture were assessed for EMG amplitude (RMS), variability (CoV), normalized mutual information (NMI), LDF and upper limb discomfort.

Results

Upper limb discomfort was higher during sitting and increased with time, from 0.86 ± 1.3 to 3.7 ± 3.1 out of 10. Interaction effects showed that EMG amplitude decreased over time for the lumbar erector spinae (LES) (from 6.3 ± 2.9 to 5.6 ± 3.2 % MIVC) and wrist extensor (from 12.4 ± 2.7 to 11.3 ± 3.5 % MIVC) during walking, but increased during sitting. Anterior Deltoid EMG amplitude was 64 % lower during walking while External Oblique EMG amplitude (43 %) and Lower Trapezius EMG variability (65 %) were higher during walking. Interaction effects showed higher LES CoV during walking compared to sitting (p = 0.019) in the beginning but not at the end of the task, and higher neck/shoulder NMI (p = 0.050) towards the end of the task during sitting compared to walking.

Conclusion

Results suggest that walking while performing computer work may be effective in inducing healthier muscular patterns, possibly explaining the lower level of discomfort compared to sitting.

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Abbreviations

AD:

Anterior deltoid

ANOVA:

Analysis of variance

AWPM:

Adjusted words per minute

CES:

Cervical erector spinae

CoV:

Coefficient of variation

EMG:

Electromyography

EO:

External oblique

FLDF:

Forearm laser Doppler flowmetry

LDF:

Laser Doppler flowmetry

LES:

Lumbar erector spinae

LT:

Lower trapezius

MI:

Mutual information

MIVC:

Maximum isometric voluntary contractions

MSDs:

Musculoskeletal disorders

MT:

Middle trapezius

NMI:

Normalized mutual information

PSS:

Perceived stress scale

RMS:

Root-mean-square

SLDF:

Shoulder laser Doppler flowmetry

UL:

Upper limb

UT:

Upper trapezius

WaW:

Walk-and-work

Wext:

Wrist extensor

WRMSD:

Work-related musculoskeletal disorder

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Acknowledgments

In addition to the participants in the study, the authors wish to thank David Antle, Amanda Farias and Zach Weber for their assistance in data collection and analyses. This research was supported by grant Grants from the Canadian Foundation for Innovation and the Institut de Recherche Robert-Sauvé en Santé etenSécurité du Travail (IRSST). Julie Côté holds a Gender, Work and HealthResearch Chair from the Canadian Institutes for HealthResearch and the IRSST.

Conflict of interest

No author has financial or personal conflicts of interest that could inappropriately influence their work.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Kinesiology and Physical Education, McGill University, 475 Pine Avenue West, Montreal, QC, H2W 1S4, Canada

    Larissa M. Fedorowich, Kim Emery & Julie N. Côté

  2. Feil and Oberfeld/CRIR Research Center, Jewish Rehabilitation Hospital, 3205 Alton Goldbloom Place, Laval, QC, H7V 1R2, Canada

    Larissa M. Fedorowich, Kim Emery & Julie N. Côté

Authors
  1. Larissa M. Fedorowich
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  2. Kim Emery
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  3. Julie N. Côté
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Correspondence to Larissa M. Fedorowich.

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Communicated by Fausto Baldissera.

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Fedorowich, L.M., Emery, K. & Côté, J.N. The effect of walking while typing on neck/shoulder patterns. Eur J Appl Physiol 115, 1813–1823 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3163-3

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