Page 169 - Petelin, Ana, et al. Eds. 2019. Zdravje otrok in mladostnikov / Health of Children and Adolescents. Zbornik povzetkov z recenzijo / Book of Abstracts. Koper: Založba Univerze na Primorskem/University of Primorska Press
P. 169
tability of classroom furniture otrok in mladostnik – okolje | child and adolescent - environment
Nastja Podrekar1, Kaja Kastelic2, Nejc Šarabon3
1 InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6, 6310 Izola, Slovenia
2 University of Primorska, Andrej Marušič Institute, Muzejski trg 2, 6000 Koper,
Slovenia
3 University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences, Polje 42, 6310 Izola, Slovenia
Introduction: Considering the amount of time students spend in the classroom
predominantly in a sitting position, school furniture plays a key role in maintain-
ing and promoting good posture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mis-
match between the existing classroom furniture and students’ anthropomet-
ric measures.
Methods: To assess the mismatch, six furniture dimensions (seat height, seat
depth, seat width, upper edge of backrest, sitting desk clearance, desk height)
and seven anthropometric measures (popliteal height, thigh thickness, el-
bow height sitting, shoulder height sitting, subscapular height, hip width, but-
tock-popliteal length) were measured.
Results: A total of 139 students, aged 14 to 20 years, from Slovenian second-
ary school participated in the study. The highest mismatch was found for seat
to desk clearance (98 %), followed by seat width (41 %), seat depth (39 %),
seat height (32 %), and desk height (30 %). A higher mismatch was observed in
younger students.
Discussion and conclusions: The results demonstrate a high mismatch between
the furniture and students’ anthropometry indicating that a redesign of school
furniture in Slovenian high schools is needed. Our anthropometric data could
be considered when ergonomically designing school furniture. Studies assess-
ing multiple age groups with larger sample sizes are desired to better evaluate
the student-furniture mismatch.
Keywords: anthropometry, ergonomics, furniture mismatch, school-children
167
Nastja Podrekar1, Kaja Kastelic2, Nejc Šarabon3
1 InnoRenew CoE, Livade 6, 6310 Izola, Slovenia
2 University of Primorska, Andrej Marušič Institute, Muzejski trg 2, 6000 Koper,
Slovenia
3 University of Primorska, Faculty of Health Sciences, Polje 42, 6310 Izola, Slovenia
Introduction: Considering the amount of time students spend in the classroom
predominantly in a sitting position, school furniture plays a key role in maintain-
ing and promoting good posture. The aim of this study was to evaluate the mis-
match between the existing classroom furniture and students’ anthropomet-
ric measures.
Methods: To assess the mismatch, six furniture dimensions (seat height, seat
depth, seat width, upper edge of backrest, sitting desk clearance, desk height)
and seven anthropometric measures (popliteal height, thigh thickness, el-
bow height sitting, shoulder height sitting, subscapular height, hip width, but-
tock-popliteal length) were measured.
Results: A total of 139 students, aged 14 to 20 years, from Slovenian second-
ary school participated in the study. The highest mismatch was found for seat
to desk clearance (98 %), followed by seat width (41 %), seat depth (39 %),
seat height (32 %), and desk height (30 %). A higher mismatch was observed in
younger students.
Discussion and conclusions: The results demonstrate a high mismatch between
the furniture and students’ anthropometry indicating that a redesign of school
furniture in Slovenian high schools is needed. Our anthropometric data could
be considered when ergonomically designing school furniture. Studies assess-
ing multiple age groups with larger sample sizes are desired to better evaluate
the student-furniture mismatch.
Keywords: anthropometry, ergonomics, furniture mismatch, school-children
167
