Influence of frontal trunk support while performing seated work

Abstract

We investigated whether the use of frontal trunk supports could enable participants to achieve upright sitting posture with reduced trunk muscle activity. Twelve healthy men participated in this study which examined trunk supportability with participants seated with or without a trunk support using the Purdue Pegboard Test. We found that the participants' trunk tilt angles were significantly greater in seated positions with a trunk support than without. The engagement of the internal oblique and transversus abdominis muscles while using a trunk support in a seated posture was significantly lower than without the trunk support. Our results suggest that a trunk support is effective for decreasing trunk muscle activity, although it promotes leaning sitting postures.