title: Comparison of the BackJoy SitSmart Relief and Spine Buddy LT1 H/C Ergonomic Chair Supports on Short-Term Neck and Back Pain.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to perform a needs assessment to determine whether short-term use of BackJoy SitSmart Relief and Spine Buddy LT1 H/C chair supports influences neck, upper back, and lower back pain.
  
  
  
  Forty-eight college students (age, 27.5 ± 6.3 years; height, 1.72 ± 0.08 m; body mass, 78.7 ± 19.8 kg; time seated that day, 4.3 ± 2.8 hours; means ± SD) were recruited for this study. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used to measure pain for the neck, upper back, and lower back regions. Subjects were randomized to sit in a stationary office chair for a single 12-minute period under 1 of 4 conditions: office chair only (control group), BackJoy SitSmart Relief and chair, freezer-cooled Spine Buddy LT1 H/C and chair, or microwave-heated Spine Buddy LT1 H/C and chair. Participants then completed a posttest Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. A between-within repeated-measures analysis of variance using the between-subject factor intervention (group) and within-subject factor time (baseline and posttest) was used to analyze study data.
  
  
  
  The main effect of time across the whole sample was statistically significant for neck (P = .000), upper back (P = .032), and lower back (P = .000) pain; however, there was no statistically significant interaction effect between intervention and time. Thus, as long as participants sat down and rested, symptoms improved similarly across the different groups.
  
  
  
  In this preliminary study, short-term and single use of a support product for an office chair had no additive effect on reducing neck and back pain.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology and Chemistry, Texas Chiropractic College, Pasadena, TX.
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ward
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Specialties, Texas Chiropractic College, Pasadena, TX. Electronic address: Jward@txchiro.edu.
authors.forename: Jesse
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Coats
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001416:Back Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D017679:Cryotherapy; D004867:Equipment Design; D006804:Ergonomics / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011187:Posture; D012656:Self-Help Devices; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Ergonomics; Low Back Pain; Neck Pain; Patient Outcome Assessment; Self-Help Devices