Abstract
[Purpose] To compare spinal curvature and trunk muscle activity during slump sitting and upright sitting between a kneeling chair and a conventional chair. [Subjects] The subjects were 10 healthy adult women (25.7 ± 4.9 years). [Methods] Trunk muscle activity and spinal curvature were measured with the subjects maintaining slump sitting and upright sitting postures on the conventional and kneeling chairs. [Results] Subjects had a significantly more lordotic spinal curvature when maintaining a slump sitting posture on a kneeling chair than on a conventional chair. In addition, they had significantly lower trunk muscle activity when maintaining a upright sitting posture on a kneeling chair than on a conventional chair. [Conclusion] These results suggest that, compared to a conventional chair, the use of a kneeling chair enables a more efficient upright sitting posture with lower trunk muscle activity, as well as a more efficient slump sitting posture with a smaller reduction in lordosis of the lumbar spine.
