Centro de Documentacion de Fundación MAPFRE

MAP20071501785

Dynamic leg volume changes when sitting in a locked and free floating tilt office chair / Einar Stranden

It is well established that prolonged sitting may lead to swelling of the lower extremities. However, activation of the vein pump system by repeated walking breaks or dynamic tiltable foot-rests have been shown to reduce foot and leg oedema. Some office chairs incorporate tilt mechanisms facilitating movements of the body from the feet up. The present study was undertaken to stablish wheter a beneficial effect on the transcapillary fluid balance of the legs by enabling such mechanisms could be documented. The study showed that upward seat deflection was not associated with concominant venous obstruction, since such obstruction was detected in less than 2% of the time period with more than 50% of maximal upward deflection. A locked seat mechanism does not prevent activation of the vein pump mechanism, but the study indicates that office chairs that permit variation in seat angle "per se" stimulate movements of the leg. This, in turn, activates vein pumps and counteracts local oedema formation in seated working postures

En: Ergonomics. - London [etc.]. - Vol. 43 nº 3, March 2000 ; p. 421-433

1. Ergonomía . 2. Enfermedades pulmonares . 3. Diseño del puesto de trabajo . 4. Sillas . 5. Análisis de puestos de trabajo . 6. Pletismógrafo . 7. Confortabilidad . 8. Postura . 9. Extremidades inferiores . I. Título.