This document discusses the ergonomic risks youth face and recommendations to address them. It covers issues like backpack use, school furniture, handwriting, computer workstations, homework spaces, laptop use, and video games/TV. Controls include engineering (e.g. backpack and furniture design), administrative (e.g. break schedules), and practice (e.g. posture). The goal is to prevent injuries, discomfort, and health issues by promoting proper ergonomics for youth.

1. 1
ERGONOMICS OF YOUTH
QURATULAIN MUGHAL
BATCH IV
DOCTOR OF PHYSICAL THERAPY
ISRA UNIVERSITY

2. 2
WHAT IS YOUTH??
 The period between childhood and adult age

3. 3
Youth Are Exposed To Ergonomics
Risk Factors
 Due to the more technology evolvement as
like:
 computers, cell phones, personal digital
assistant and electronic games.

4. 4
The Average Youth Engage In:
 Few active physical activities.
 Sit stationary in mismatched furniture in
school/college/uni for hours.
 Carry heavy backpacks.

5. 5
ERGONOMICS
“ The ergonomics is most commonly thought of
as designing work, work environment or
conditions to prevent injury and promote
worker health, safety, productivity and
comfort”

6. 6
MAJOR CONTROLS
1. Engineering controls:
 Works at the level of :
 Workspace
 Furniture
 Tools used by students
 Redesigned by adjusting heights or
locations
 Also by modified environmental factors.

7. 7
Continue…
2. Administration controls:
 Are decisions made by occupational:
 Therapist
 School administrations
 Teachers
 Parents
• By set the duration, frequency and severity of
exposure to existing hazards.

8. 8
Continue…
3. Work practice control:
 Take by:
 Self-directed
 Self-initiated strategies
• Ensure safe and proper techniques when
doing activities.

9. 9
Discussing some areas
1.BACKPACKS:
 Challenges:
 Back pain or back aches
 Back injury
 Awkward postures

10. 10
(a) Engineering controls
 Select backpacks on the basis of the youth’s
size and age.
 Look for wide, padded, adjustable and
shoulder straps.
 Choose backpacks with several
compartments for better weight distribution.
 Or can be with wheels

11. 11
(b) Administration controls:
 Be attentive to complaints of back pains.
 Monitor the youth’s posture.
 Schedule regular health checkups to identify
M.S problems.
 Ensure that the youth carry only the items
required for that particular day.
 Make sure the weight of the backpack does
not exceed 15% of the youth’s body weights.

12. 12
Continue..
 Provide youths with information on alternate
types of backpacks, such as a with wheels
and back balancer.
 Provide textbooks in CD.
 Use web-based books.
 Issue a second set of books for the house.
 Purchase books that are bound in sections
 Ensure locker space.

13. 13
(c) Work practice control
 Position the backpack below the shoulders and
resting on the hips and pelvis.
 Use both straps and the chest and hip belts.
 Fasten the straps, but not too tightly.
 Replace heavier items with lighter one’s (e.g plastic
lunch box instead of a metal one)
 Stretch your shoulders, arms and neck before
carrying backpack.
 Stay fit and healthy.

14. 14

15. 15
2.SCHOOL/ COLLEGE/ UNI
WORKSPACE
 Challenges:
 The furniture is not designed to facilitate the
2 common postures of all youth ages
(a) Sitting forward for reading and writing.
(b) Sitting back for listening and watching.
 excessive forward bending.
 strain on the back and neck
 Discomfort
 Postural problems

16. 16
(a) Engineering controls
 Use multiple size of furniture because of wide
range of body size.
 Use a rolled-up towel or a small pillow to
create a lumbar support with an angle of
100*-110*, which may be effective as a back
support.

17. 17

18. 18
(b) Administration controls
 Ask youth about the comfort of the desk and
chairs.
 Allow youth to choose furniture for
themselves.
 Teach youth the healty and proper body
posture.

19. 19
(c) Work practice control
 Use proper body mechanics, such as turning
the body as a whole
 Keep frequently used supplies within reaching
distance.
 Take breaks b/w activities and stretching
before, during and after an activity.

20. 20
3.HAND WRITING
 Challenges:
 Pen grip
 Paper/pen positioning
 Low handwriting

21. 21
(a) Engineering controls
 Use a workstation that allows for proper
positioning and back support so that the
students has at least 90* of hip, elbow and
knee flexion ,with feet flat on floor.

22. 22
(b) Administration controls
 Encourage teachers to incorporate a 2
minutes breaks every 20-30 minutes.
 Also encourage teachers to do warm-up
exercise with students before writing activities

23. 23
(c) Work practice control
 Take 2-minutes stretching breaks every 20-30
minutes while doing handwriting exercise.

24. 24
4.COMPUTER
WORKSTATION
 Challenges:
 M.S injuries
 Discomfort
 Stress
 Strain
 C.T.D
 Eye problem

25. 25
(a) Engineering controls
 Is divided into 5 aspects:
1.Monitor
2.Chair
3.Desk
4.Mouse
5.Keyboard

26. 26

27. 27
(b) Administration controls
 2 minutes breaks every 20-30 minutes.
 Stretch fingers, hands, arms, shoulders,
necks, and backs.
 Set the time limits for daily or weekly use.

28. 28
(c) Work practice control
 Set the time limits for daily or weekly use.
 Take regular breaks.
 Tell an adult about any pain or discomfort.

29. 29
5. HOME WORK SPACE
 Challenges:
 Discomfort of neck and shoulders.
 M.S problems.
 Visual fatigue
 Eye strain

30. 30
(a) Engineering controls
 Provide a stable study work surface.
 Provide chair that fits the youth.
 Provide proper lighting.

31. 31
(b) Administration controls
 Monitor the youth’s work practice during
homework time, adhering the to previous
recommendations.

32. 32
(c) Work practice control
 Choose adjustable chair
 Proper lightening
 Proper posture

33. 33
6.LAPTOP
 Challenges:
 Discomfort of neck and shoulders.
 M.S problems.
 Visual fatigue
 Eye strain

34. 34
(a) Engineering controls
 Place the monitor at eye level.
 Ensue the use of light weight laptops..

35. 35
(b) Administration controls
 Limit the amount of time the youth uses a
laptop minimum 1 hour per day.
 Encourage youths to use their laptops at a
stable work surface rather than in awkward
postures (e.g. lying in bed, sitting on floor).

36. 36
(c) Work practice control
 Use your laptops at a study table.
 Don’t carry awkward postures.
 Don’t use more than 1 hour per day.
 Take stretch breaks.

37. 37
7.VIDEO GAMES AND
TELEVISION
 Challenges:
 M.S problems.
 Obesity
 High blood pressure
 High cholesterol
 Psychosocial problems
 Less physical activity

38. 38
(a) Engineering control
 Place the television screen at proper eye
level to avoid the neck strain.
 Ensure the proper room lightening.
 Proper chairs

39. 39
(b) Administration controls
 Educate youths on the effects of excessive
video game and television use.
 Involve youths in sports, and volunteer
activities which will help them to promote their
self-esteem, social interaction and fitness.

40. 40
(c) Work practice control
 Take stretch breaks.
 Maintain good posture.
 Sit far enough from television to prevent eye
strain.

41. 41