A Complete Listing Of Course Lessons
Section One
Notes on Section One: General Introduction (For everybody)
This section is a general overview of the course, and prepares the user to measure their current working status for later comparisons.
ActivSeating™ Introduction ~ The Back Owner’s Guide to Seated Work
General Introduction ~ ActivSeating™ is a simple and complete solution
Overview ~ Problem of Neck and Low Back Pain
Course Goals & Objectives ~ Five key areas
Make Good Sitting Posture Seating Easty ~ Put the strongest muscles in the best position.
Outcome Measures (follow up data from John) ~ Research outcomes from a Fortune 500 Company.
Pre-Course Test Survey ~ To determine current expertise
What Kind of Work? (Reclining) ~ Reclined tasks
What Kind of Work? (Forward) ~ Forward tasks
Section Two
Notes on Section Two: The Problem With Sitting (For consultants)
This section differentiates the different kinds of sitting needed in the office, and clarifies the very different health risks between work and leisure.
Research studies show that the health risks of diabetes, obesity and heart disease may not apply to office work nearly as much as the very common risk of musculoskeletal problems. Clear examples are shown how a chair well designed for one kind of work can cause low back pain, as well as neck, shoulder, arm and hand pain when the type of work changes. Good spine posture is critical to resolve long-term trauma, and most ergonomics practice does not readily appreciate how easily good posture is lost in sitting.
Health Risks for Sitting ~ Leisure sitting has been linked to several disease categories
Sitting Has Bad Press! ~ Bloomberg/Huffington Post articles
Is Work Sitting Really a Problem? ~ Research says otherwise
Posture and the Low Back ~ An illustrative chart
Classic Ergonomic seated posture ~ Body is relaxed and torso is reclined, etc.
Work can change posture ~ A video
People get hurt at computers ~ Statistical research
Postural Muscles ~ The activity of deep postural muscles in the spine are linked to health
Deep muscle strength is linked to pain ~ Research papers
Slumping shuts off muscle ~ The deep muscles relax after 5 seconds of forward bend
We don’t feel slump ~ A video
Forearm support helps ~ Four research papers summarized
Thigh-Torso Angle does not show spinal posture ~ The simplest test for good spine posture is some slight movement at the low back
What’s Wrong With This Picture? ~ A look at problematic posture
“Perch” or Declined Sitting ~ The good and the bad
Section Three
Notes on Section Three: The Problem with Standing Work (For consultants)
If seating in general is considered the primary problem, moving to standing workstations ignores the reasons why different seated postures are problematic. Despite sales literature claiming to solve one problem, like low back pain, many of those products can cause additional musculoskeletal trouble when not used correctly. Medical research is cited to show how little standing workstations are used in the long-term, and where standing workstations may increase the risk of heart disease.
Standing—Good And Bad ~ The good and the bad
Work Postures By Effort ~ Work Postures By Effort
People Don’t Want To Stand ~ Three research papers summarized
Health Risks To Standing ~ Three more research papers summarized
Not Just The Lower Back … ~ Low back pain improved
Section Four
Notes on Section Four: The ActivSeating™ Process (For everybody)
This is the How-To section of the course that uses photographs and videos to demonstrate the sequence of the ActivSeating process in detail. The key instructions show how to find good posture, and then how to sustain it easily. Attention is also drawn to the chair for critical details on chair adjustment. Six different chairs in common use are presented with a demonstration for their proper adjustment. Also included are research outcome measures from a Fortune 500 company. This section is intended as a stand-alone guide for the end-user, or as a central component for the ergonomics consultant.
General Process ~ Make work safer, easier and more productive
ActivSeating™ Process Introduction ~ Testing spine, chair, surfaces
Neutral Spine Posture ~ Neutral spine postures are the safest and strongest positions
Losing Neutral Spine Posture ~ Natural curves are lost, and more prone to injury
Spine Reset ~ A video
Chair Height Adjustment Comes First ~ A video
Adjusting The H.M. Aeron Chair ~ Two videos
Adjusting Other Full-Feature Chairs ~ A video
Chair Adjustment ~ Recline Only ~ A video
Chair Height Is Important ~ Research results summarized
Locate Chair Height ~ A video
Locate Work Surface Height ~ Position the surface above elbow
Test the Surface Height ~ A video
Eye Height ~ How to measure
Locate The Visual Targets ~ A video
Eyewear Changes Vision! ~ A video
Locate Handtools ~ A video
Chair Armrests ~ A video
Seat Tilt Sustains Good Posture For Forward Work ~ A video
If The Chair Does Not Tip Forward … ~ A guide
Chair Adjustments Change Spine Posture ~ A video
ActivSeating™ Sequence Review ~ A video
ActivSeating Overview ~ Process needs every element
Take Regular Breaks! ~ Short breaks more effective than design
Retrospective Study (2016) ~ Five-year survey of 1,000 clients
Pre- & Post-Comparison ~ 187 respondents reported frequency and severity of pain before and after consultation
Section Five
Notes on Section Five: Supporting Materials and Methods (For everybody)
This section will prove invaluable for the consultant: detailed observation skills are presented for both the body in the chair and for the chair itself, use of a commercial accelerometer program is introduced to provide objective strength data, and allow the process to work for alternative seated jobs like transportation and motorsports. Common hardware products are shown to modify the chair armrests and work surface height where needed. Alternative seating options are presented with the pros and cons of gymnastic balls, kneeling chairs, and sit-stand options. Independent care strategies for the low back and neck-shoulder-arm are provided, as well as case studies of common client presentations and solutions.
Observation Skills ~ A checklist
Thigh-Torso Angle (When It Works) ~ A diagram
Thigh-Torso Angle (When It Doesn’t Work) ~ A diagram
Forward Bending At Low Neck ~ Forward Head Posture can cause tightness in the neck and shoulders Backward Bending At Upper Neck ~ A diagram
Slumping Changes How We Breathe ~ Forward bending limits movement of the diaphragm Contact Pressures At The Wrist ~ Wrist pad or desk is the only place to rest
Knowledge Check ~ A checklist
Caster-Floor Agreement ~ A video
Caster-Floor Surface Agreement ~ A checklist
Caster-Floor Incompatibility ~ A checklist
Caster Size ~ A checklist
Small Rubber Caster ~ A checklist
Chair Height Research ~ Conclusions
Height Research Results ~ A Systematic Chair Adjustment Strategy to Permit Optimal Spinal Postures at Seated Work
Consider Lower Chair ~ Best height may be below end range of the of cylinder height
Consider Higher Chair ~ Best height may be above the standard height range
Make Good Sitting Posture Easy ~ Strongest muscles in best position
Raising An Armrest ~ If the armrest pad is too low, additional height may be needed
Elevated Armrest ~ Additional view of a modified armrest height
Lowering an Armrest ~ If the armrest is too tall, a lower armrest pad may be needed
Raising An Armrest ~ If the armrest pad is too low, additional height may be needed
Elevated Armrest ~ Additional view of a modified armrest height
Lowered Armrest ~ Detail of a lowered armrest mount
Modular surfaces ~ Modular surface height changes are simple
Acceptable Surface Height Range ~ Choose the best Surface height
Raising A Desk ~ Put shims under feet of the desk
Lowering A Desk ~ Lowering a fixed height is more complicated
Raising The Floor ~ Where the desk cannot be lowered, consider elevating the floor
Keyboard Tray ~ Arm support is only at the wrist
Keyboard Tray Modification ~ Keyboard tray is modified to allow forearm support
Footrest In Standing? ~ Alternates weight bearing through the legs
Footrest In Sitting? ~ Footrest does not allow postural variation in the torso
Independent Care Strategies ~ Different care is needed from the acute (beginning, severe) to chronic (settled, regular) stages
Acute Low Back Care ~ A checklist
Details, Acute Low Back Care ~ Downloadable PDF
Low Back Care In Chronic stages ~ A video
Neck And Shoulder Pain ~ Some gentle strategies can be helpful
Details: Neck And Shoulder Care ~ Downloadable PDF
Standing ~ A summary of pros & cons
Gymnastic Ball ~ A summary of pros & cons
Kneeling (Baalans) Chair ~ A summary of pros & cons
Mobility Stools ~ A summary of pros & cons
Saddle Seating ~ A summary of pros & cons
Stand With Tall Chair ~ Worst of both worlds!
Pre-Post Knowledge checks ~ A follow-up quiz
Case Studies
Work Surface Support ~ A case study
Sit/Stand Workstation ~ A case study
Chair Adjustment ~ A case study
Section Six
Notes on Section Six: Closure (For consultants)
This section includes brief summary information and a two knowledge checks of the course information; the first is a test for the end-user and the second is a more comprehensive exam for the consultant. A certification process is available on request.
Course Test Questions ~ A follow-up quiz
Section Seven
Thank you!