Ergonomic behaviour of learners in a digitally driven school environment: Modification using an ergonomic intervention programme.
Ingrid V Sellschop, Hellen Myezwa, Witness Mudzi and 1 others
PMID 30135912WHAT IT FOUND
A single 45-minute school session on posture, bag weight, and stretches, reinforced by stickers and web links, improved computer posture in adolescents over six months.
The intervention group had no learners in the highest risk postural category at follow-up, unlike the control group.
Key findings
01Participants in the intervention group showed significantly better postural action levels at six months compared to the control group, with no learners in the highest risk category.
02The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in both wrist/arm and neck/trunk/leg postural scores relative to the control group at six months.
03There was a significant reduction in the number of intervention participants using laptops on the floor at six months compared to baseline and the control group.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
The sample was restricted to Grade 8 adolescents from high fee-paying private schools in Johannesburg, limiting generalisability to public schools or other socioeconomic groups. The study only assessed computer-related ergonomics and did not account for other sources of musculoskeletal pain or posture issues. The intervention was a single 45-minute session; longer-term sustainability beyond six months was not measured.
Declared interests
No specific conflicts of interest or funding sources were declared in the provided text.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume this intervention works for all adolescents or without the home reinforcement tools. The study was conducted in wealthy private schools where students had access to specific resources, and the positive outcomes relied on stickers and web links used at home, not just the school session.