The document discusses various studies linking posture with musculoskeletal pain and mental health issues like depression across different demographics, including workers, children, and students. It highlights how poor posture, associated with factors such as ergonomic habits and heavy school bags, significantly impacts health and productivity. Additionally, it suggests that interventions like physical education and technological aids can help improve postural health.

1. Common Posture
Problems
M R I N A L J O S H I
M B B S M D D N B M N A M S G C M S K M E D
R E H A B I L I TAT I O N R E S E A R C H C E N T R E
S M S M E D I C A L C O L L E G E & A S S O C I AT E D H O S P I TA L S

2. Posture
• Occupational neck and back pain are great burden for industry & medicine
• More than 2% in US have compensable back injury
• Most expensive health problem in ages 20-50
• Medical costs are 33% and disability payments are remainder
• Ergonomic as well as psychosocial factors influence pain & disability
• Three times more prevalent in those who had less strength than required for the job
• Motor control, endurance, stability of spine along with posture are causative for
dysfunction

3. Working posture
• Various studies demonstrated association between physical health and posture
• 49,877 worker analysed to analyse association of posture with depression
• Poor posture causes musculoskeletal pain leading to depression
• Physical health problem which affect posture, back pain and specific upper and lower
body part is twice more likely associated with depression
• Related to change in posture like increased head flexion, increased thoracic kyphosis,
pelvic retroversion and increase in scapular distance
• Participants with depression had more slumped posture
Healthcare (Basel) doi:10.3390/healthcare10030477

4. Digital gaming & msk issues in children
Digital technology
and online activities
are on rapid rise and
important part of life
Study population
was 1000 children
with average age 12
years
Average time of
online play activities
75 minutes
Negative
relationship between
tablet use and
headache / neck
pain
More likely to use
wrong posture and
position
Niger J Clin Pract, 20222 Feb;225(2):153-159

5. Indian study in hotel receptionists
• Fifty receptionists in 3 to 5 star hotels around Mumbai airport
• Ovako Work Analysis System used for posture assessment
• Six types of standing and four types of sitting posture were identified
• Most harmful posture were
Standing with awkward head and neck with phone between neck and shoulder
Awkward bending / leaning over counter
• Regular physical exercise
• Acclimatize before shift change
• Soft shoes and better working table and its arrangement
Indian J Occup Environ Med 2020 Sep-Dec; 24(3):157-162

6. Back pain in elementary school children
• Heavy school bags are often associated with msk Issues and back pain
• Size of bag affects posture and walking pattern
• Study analysed the load and occurrence of back pain
• Sample of 164 students
• Average school bag load of 2.6 Kg and 1.3 in suburban areas
• There was significant relationship between weight of bag and occurrence of back pain
• Use of lockers should be highly encouraged
J Pulic Health Res 2020 Jul 3;9(2):1841

7. Coaching institutes
• Many students attend coaching institutes
• Physical stress due to poor sitting posture, overcrowded classes & prolonged sitting
• Study population was around 500
• Prevalence of msk disorders 87.1
• Individuals with higher BMI have more issues
• Ergonomic education among teachers as well as students can make a difference
J Family Med Prim Care 2019 Mar;8(3):929-933

14. Consensus on causality of posture & back pain
• Specific spinal postures and physical activities are linked with back pain
• Umbrella review – systemic review of reviews
• Meta-analysis on spine posture or physical exposure and LBP symptoms
• Most meta-analysis suggest some association
• Whereas systemic reviews of prospective studies have less consistent conclusion
• No consensus regarding causality of physical exposure to LBP
• Association is documented but does not provide a causal explanation of LBP
J Biomech 2020 Mar26;102:109312

15. Postural re-education
• Clinical trial to study effect of adding a smartphone app with 8 week GPR to improve pain
experience
• Sixty office workers with average age of 38.5 with chronic pain
• Three groups GPR alone, GPR plus and control
• GPR plus had statistically better improvement versus GPR alone
• When workplace assessment and management are challenging
• App with GPR can help better alleviation of pain & disability
Trials 2021;22:274

16. Videos

17. Australian Journal of General Practice doi:10.31128/AJGP-07-21-6083

19. Appl Ergon 2017;60:320-33

20. Thank you
for inviting
and
for patient hearing