Assessment of Forward Head Posture in Information Technology Employees with Neck Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study
,
Abstract
Background: Neck pain is the most common complaint that we deal with in orthopedics, most of which are information technology (IT) professionals. These individuals have vocational mismanagement which leads to high incidence of forward head posture (FHP).
Methods: A cross-sectional study was carried out from January 2019 to June 2019 during which a total of 300 patients were taken into study. Clinical assessment of neck pain, head posture, range of motion (ROM), and radiological assessment of craniovertebral angle (CVA) and anterior head translation (AHT) was done.
Results: Out of 300 patients, the majority of the patients were men. On average, men used computers for 9.6 hours compared to 9.2 hours for women. The average CVA was higher in women (58.8). The average AHT was more in men (22.9).
Conclusion: As compared with the previous literature, our study showed that 84.3% of male and 92.91% of female participants had FHP. CVA was lower, while AHT was higher in both groups than the usual range. The mean AHT in our sample was 18.8 mm, which was found to be aberrant in the prior research studies. In our study, we have found a negative correlation between the CVA and AHT, resulting in FHP, which can furthermore lead to early changes of cervical spondylosis in IT employees, probably due to long hours of desktop usage resulting in fixed postural habit.
2. Yip CHT, Chiu TTW, Poon ATK. The relationship between head posture and severity and disability of patients with neck pain. Man Ther. 2008;13(2):148–54, http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.math.2006.11.002.
3. Adrian lee “how your laptop could be a real pain in neck”, Express.Co.UK, 19th October 2010
4. Barbe MF, Barr AE. Inflammation and the pathophysiology of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.BrainBehav Immun 2006;20:423-9.
5. Ariëns GA, van Mechelen W, Bongers PM, Bouter LM, van der Wal G. Physical risk factors for neck pain. Scand JWork Environ Health 2000;26:7-19.
6. Bernard BP. Musculoskeletal Disorders and Workplace Factors: A Critical Review of Epidemiologic Evidence for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders of the Neck, Upper Extremity, and Low Back. US, Department of Health and Human Services. Cincinnati, OH: National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health; 1997. p. 97-141
7. Côté P, van der Velde G, Cassidy JD, Carroll LJ, Hogg-Johnson S, Holm LW, et al.; Bone and Joint Decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its Associated Disorders. The burden and determinants of neck pain in workers:Results of the bone and joint decade 2000-2010 Task Force on Neck Pain and Its
Associated Disorders. Spine
8. Yip CH, Chiu TT, Poon AT. The relationship between head posture and severity and disability of patients with neck pain. Man Ther. 2008;13(2):148–54. [PMID: 17368075] DOI:10.1016/j.math.2006.11.002
9. Watson DH, Trott PH. Cervical headache: An investigation of natural head posture and upper cervical
flexor muscle performance. Cephalalgia. 1993;13(4):272–84. [PMID: 8374943] DOI:10.1046/j.1468 2982.1993.1304272.x
10. Wilmarth MA, Hilliard TS. Measuring head posture via the craniovertebral angle. Orthop Phys Ther Pract. 2002;14:13–15.
11. Willford CH, Kisner C, Glenn TM, Sachs L. The interaction of wearing multifocal lenses with head posture and pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 1996;23(3):194–99. [PMID: 8919398
12. Silva AG , Punt TD, Sharples P, Vilas-Boas JP, Johnson MI. Head posture and neck pain of chronic nontraumatic origin: A comparison between patients and pain-free persons. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2009;90(4):669–74. [PMID: 19345785] DOI:10.1016/j.apmr.2008.10.018
13. Griegel-Morris P, Larson K, Mueller-Klaus K, Oatis CA. Incidence of common postural abnormalities in the cervical, shoulder, and thoracic regions and their association with pain in two age groups of healthy subjects. Phys Ther. 1992;72(6):425–31. [PMID: 1589462
14. Fernádez-de-las-Peñas C, Alonso-Blanco C, Cuadrado ML, Pareja JA. Forward head posture and neck mobility in chronic tension-type headache: A blinded, controlled study. Cephalalgia. 2006;26(3):314–19. [PMID: 16472338] DOI:10.1111/j.1468-2982.2005.01042.x
15. Fernádez-de-las-Peñas C, Cuadrado ML, Pareja JA. Myofascial trigger points, neck mobility and forward head posture in unilateral migraine. Cephalalgia. 2006;26(9):1061–70. [PMID: 16919056],DOI:10.1111/j.1468 2982.2006.01162.x
16. Vernon H, Mior S: The Neck Disability Index: a study of reliability and validity. J Manipulative Physiol Ther, 1991, 14: 409–415. [Medline
17. Korhonen T, Ketola R, Toivonen R, Luukkonen R, Häkkänen M, Viikari-Juntura E. Work-related and individualpredictors for incident neck pain among office employees working with video display units. Occup Environ Med2003;60:475-82.
18. Lau EM, Sham A, Wong KC. The prevalence of and risk factors for neck pain in Hong Kong Chinese. J PublicHealth Med 1996;18:396-9.
19. De Loose V, Burnotte F, Cagnie B, Stevens V, Van Tiggelen D. Prevalence and risk factors of neck pain in militaryoffice workers. Mil Med 2008;173:474-9.
20. Shannon HS, Woodward CA, Cunningham CE, McIntosh J, Lendrum B, Brown J, et al. Changes in general healthand musculoskeletal outcomes in the workforce of a hospital undergoing rapid change: A longitudinal study. JOccup Health Psychol 2001;6:3-14.
21. Cagnie B, Danneels L, van Tiggelen D, de Loose V, Cambier D. Individual and work related risk factors for neck pain among office workers: A cross sectional study. Eur Spine J. 2007;16(5):679–86,
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s00586-006-0269-7.
| Files | ||
| Issue | Vol 10 No 1 (2024) | |
| Section | Research Articles | |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.18502/jost.v10i1.14962 | |
| Keywords | ||
| Head Posture Vocational Neck Pain Information Technology | ||
| Rights and permissions | |
|
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. |
