Designing Ergonomic Product to Ease of Eating Parkinson’s Patients, According to the Assessment of the Body Comfort Situation

Parkinson’s is a progressive disease of the nervous system that by affecting the body movements, affects patients’ quality of life and makes daily tasks like eating, difficult and time consuming for them. The aim of this study was to improve the comfort situation of Parkinson patient when eating by identifying ergonomic problems, and designing product for this. 12 Parkinson’s patients were chosen by simple random sampling method. Data was collected through a translated Interview of the Discomfort Questionnaire section of ErgoFellow Software and direct observation of patients while eating. After the final data analysis and extraction of design guidelines, design ideas were sketched and the final design was formed after AHP evaluation. Discomfort Questionnaire data (the average rate of 10.6out of 7 (1. 514)) showed that the non-ergonomic posture of hands, fingers, wrists, arms, elbows, neck, upper back (lumber), and shoulders, the discomfort rate while eating, is more intense, compared to other parts of the body . Observations have also shown that in order to near food to patient mouth, occur Non-ergonomic changes in the patient’s posture. Therefore, designing product should be done using anthropometric data. The results showed that reduction of mouth-to-food distance would reduce discomfort and fatigue for the Parkinson’s patient. Therefore, using anthropometric data, a height-adjustable product was designed and developed that improves the position of the posture and reduces the patient’s discomfort situation during eating food.