Occupational Therapy's Role in Promoting Community Wellness Utilizing Sit-Stand Workstations

Occupational Therapy's Role in Promoting Community Wellness: A Multi-modal Approach to Combat Sedentary Behavior in the Workplace Utilizing Sit-Stand Workstations

The aim of this study is to combat the growing global health issue of sedentary behavior and the associated health consequences of prolonged sitting in the workplace. The population of desk-based workers makes up a relatively large population and are an important target for this health promoting initiative with a focus on improving posture, encouraging movement, and fostering a more active and healthy business community. It's important to recognize that occupational therapy practitioners can contribute to community health promotion/disease prevention programs by the skill-set of practitioners to understand habits and routines that influence the adoption and maintenance of healthy behaviors.

This group will use the Ergotron WorkFit-TL (a sit to stand work station) and be required to alternate periods of sitting and standing every 30 minutes throughout their workday.

This group will use the Ergotron WorkFit-TL (a sit to stand work station) and be required to alternate periods of sitting and standing every 60 minutes throughout their workday.

This group will use the Ergotron WorkFit-TL (a sit to stand work station) and be required to alternate periods of sitting and standing every 90 minutes throughout their workday.

Three scales were compiled 1) aches and pains, 2) discomfort and 3) interference due to aches and pains. All three scales included 9 questions centered on the occurrence in body regions, including the neck, shoulder, upper and lower back, upper arms, forearm/wrist, hip, thigh, and knee/lower leg. Aches and Pains was on a 5 point scale, from 1) Never to 5) Several Times a Day. Uncomfortable was on a 4 point scale, ranging from 0) No Discomfort to 3) Very Uncomfortable. Interference was on a 4 point scale from 0) Not a problem to 3) Substantially interfered. Higher scores indicated more problems in each of these areas.

Three scales were compiled 1) aches and pains, 2) discomfort and 3) interference due to aches and pains. All three scales included 9 questions centered on the occurrence in body regions, including the neck, shoulder, upper and lower back, upper arms, forearm/wrist, hip, thigh, and knee/lower leg. Aches and Pains was on a 5 point scale, from 1) Never to 5) Several Times a Day. Uncomfortable was on a 4 point scale, ranging from 0) No Discomfort to 3) Very Uncomfortable. Interference was on a 4 point scale from 0) Not a problem to 3) Substantially interfered. Higher scores indicated more problems in each of these areas.

The Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire consists of three scales that were compiled 1) aches and pains, 2) discomfort and 3) interference due to aches and pains. All three scales included 9 questions centered on the occurrence in body regions, including the neck, shoulder, upper and lower back, upper arms, forearm/wrist, hip, thigh, and knee/lower leg. Aches and Pains was on a 5 point scale, from 1) Never to 5) Several Times a Day. Uncomfortable was on a 4 point scale, ranging from 0) No Discomfort to 3) Very Uncomfortable. Interference was on a 4 point scale from 0) Not a problem to 3) Substantially interfered. Higher scores indicated more problems in each of these areas.

Inclusion Criteria: Participants must spend > 50% of their work day seated at the computer Participants must be primarily English speaking Participants must work within the Health Sciences Center building at West Virginia University Exclusion Criteria: Participants who are less than 18 years of age Participants who are not primarily English speaking Participants who spend <50% of their work day seated at the computer Participants who do not work within the Health Sciences Center building at West Virginia University Participants who are pregnant