Physical activity, sitting time, neck disability and posture in workers using visual display terminals (VDT)

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal pain represents a major public health problem. Workers who use visual display terminals (VDT) have suffered an increase in neck pain in recent decades. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship between physical activity (PA), sitting time, posture, and neck disability in a population of employed adults who use a computer at work. METHODS: In this descriptive-correlational study, 88 workers with a mean age of 48.31 years participated. All of the participants filled out the Self-Report Habit Index (SRHI), International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and Neck Disability Index (NDI). The postural situation was also assessed with Posture Assessment Software (PAS/SAPO). RESULTS: A significant and inverse relationship was observed between the habit of PA practice and the Body Mass Index (BMI). A total of 59.1% of the participants have a moderate PA index. There was a statistically significant relationship between the NDI and the time that workers spend sitting in a workday. A significance level of p≤0.05 was established for all the statistical analyses. CONCLUSION: The increase in sitting time produces an increase in neck disability among workers and there are no significant differences between the level of PA and the cervical angles analyzed. The promotion of leisure-time PA and the reduction of prolonged uninterrupted sitting time at work could be one of the means to reduce musculoskeletal morbidity in the working population.