Prolonged slumped sitting causes neck pain and increased axioscapular muscle activity during a computer task in healthy participants – A randomized crossover study.

Sitting posture may contribute to spinal pain. Effects of postures on pain, sensitivity and muscle activity during computer tasks were investigated. Twenty-five healthy participants, seated at a workstation without backrest, completed four, 15-min typing tasks: A)Upright with forearm-support; B)Upright without forearm-support; C)Slumped with forearm-support; D)Slumped without forearm-support. Participants rated pain every minute on a numerical rating scale (NRS). RMS-EMG was recorded from upper/lower trapezius (UT, LT), serratus anterior and anterior/middle deltoid. At baseline and after tasks, pressure pain thresholds (PPTs) were recorded bilaterally over the head, UT, and leg. All tasks caused clinically relevant increased NRS (≥2/10) compared to baseline (P < 0.001). NRS was higher in Task-D (P < 0.003) and lower in Task-B (P < 0.005) than others. PPTs did not change from baseline. Task-D caused higher UT and LT RMS-EMG (P < 0.02) than other tasks. A 15-min task caused pain irrespective of posture with some causing larger changes than others. • A standardized computer task caused pain irrespective of posture. • Some postures increased pain and muscle activity more than others. • Time in a given posture may be of greater importance than the posture itself. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]