EFFECT OF SITTING POSTURE ON HUMAN BODY

抄録

To know the effect of sitting posture on human body, various postures and blood flow changes in right big toe were examined. The subjects were 10 healthy adult males and 8 females. The sitting postures were classified by seat height as (1) the lower legs were vertical and the foot sole touched fiat on the floor (2) 10 cm lower than the height of (1), (3) 10 cm higher than that of (1). In each of three sitting postures, there were differences in sitting pressure distribution in some degree between males and females, and it was observed that the third sitting posture showed the most marked effect on the contact area of the thigh with seat and on blood flow of the toes. This result was also examined by plethysmography and its waves showed the disturbing effect on the blood flow. Namely, the plethysmograph taken in the third sitting posture showed the lowest relative crest time, and highest dicrotic index, with a stochastically significant difference (P=0.05). These experiments showed that plethysmography is useful to determine the degree of pressure on thigh in various sitting postures.