Evaluation of comfort, usability and posture of an ergonomic sit-standing desk converter designed based on anthropometric data of Iranian community

Today, the employees have moved towards less mobility and more sitting due to the use of modern technologies in the workplace, and the complications arisen from static work and fixed posture have caused numerous disorders, including musculoskeletal disorders. This study was conducted in order to evaluate the comfort and usability of the ergonomic sit-stand desk converter with the purpose of prevention of disorders caused by continues sitting in workers.

30 employees and Faculty Members of a university voluntarily entered this study with consent and awareness. After providing the necessary explanations, two researcher-made questionnaires of Local Perceived Discomfort (LPD) and Sit-Stand Desk Converter Usability Questionnaire (SSDCUQ), two methods of posture analysis, two methods of Workstation evaluation and general satisfaction together with 2-8-20 software and an ergonomic desk converter were provided to the volunteers. After the test period, SPSS version 22 software and statistical tests such as mean, standard deviation, Spearman's rank correlation coefficient, and Pearson correlation coefficient were used to analyze the data.  

The total average of LPD in different parts of body was 0.48 ± 0.87, which indicates that the converter works in the range of no problem to very little discomfort. The average general satisfaction with the converter's function was 3.18 ± 1.08 which is in the moderate to good range. Also, a significant relationship was found between different situations of using the converter in the analysis of different sitting and standing postures (P<0.0005), which indicates the improvement of the sitting and standing posture during the use of the converter.

height-adjustable workstations are a good choice to reduce sitting time and improve posture. Despite the improvement of sitting and standing posture when using the converter, there are limitations such as the user ignoring software warning to sit and stand in the mechanical converter under study