A randomized controlled trial of chair interventions on back and hip pain among sewing machine operators: the los angeles garment study.
OBJECTIVE
Determine whether an adjustable chair with a curved or a flat seat pan improved monthly back and hip pain scores in sewing machine operators.


METHODS
This 4-month intervention study randomized 293 sewing machine operators with back and hip pain. The participants in the control group received a placebo intervention, and participants in the intervention groups received the placebo intervention and one of the two intervention chairs.


RESULTS
Compared with the control group, mean pain improvement for the flat chair intervention was 0.43 points (95% CI = 0.34, 0.51) per month, and mean pain improvement for the curved chair intervention was 0.25 points (95% CI = 0.16, 0.34) per month.


CONCLUSIONS
A height-adjustable task chair with a swivel function can reduce back and hip pain in sewing machine operators. The findings may be relevant to workers who perform visual- and hand-intensive manufacturing jobs.
Wang
Pin-Chieh
PC
Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USA.
Ritz
Beate R
BR
Janowitz
Ira
I
Harrison
Robert J
RJ
Yu
Fei
F
Chan
Jacqueline
J
Rempel
David M
DM
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001416:Back Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D004867:Equipment Design; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006621:Hip Joint; D006801:Humans; D007374:Interior Design and Furnishings / Q000145:classification*; D016014:Linear Models; D015141:Los Angeles; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000517:prevention & control; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010865:Pilot Projects; D010919:Placebos; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013783:Textile Industry
D010919:Placebos