Reduction of Feelings of Tiredness by a Half-Kneeling Posture

- Suggestion for Working Posture during Milking in Dairy Farming

Abstract

The working posture during milking in dairy farming is a squatting posture in which both soles contact the floor. We suggested a half-kneeling posture, in which the sole of one foot and the other's leg's knee and toes contact the floor, to reduce feelings of tiredness during milking. The area of the “base of support” in a half-kneeling posture is larger than that of a squatting posture. We designed a tool to assist with the knee contacting the floor in barns. Ten healthy young adults did tasks in imitation of milking in two experimental conditions as follows: squatting without the tool（a squatting condition）, and half-kneeling with the assisting tool on the knee（a half-kneeling condition）. The time required for the tests and the feelings of tiredness of the subjects were evaluated. The half-kneeling condition were equivalent to the squat condition in terms of the time required. But the half-kneeling condition reduced feelings of tiredness. As a result, it was indicated that a half-kneeling posture using an assisting tool does not improve the time required, but reduces feelings of tiredness during milking.