Effect of redesigning school furniture based on students’ anthropometry in North-West Nigeria

Abstract

Mismatch between classroom furniture and the students’ anthropometry have been identified as a major cause of musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) among schoolchildren. This paper is aimed at investigating the prevalence of MSDs and the effect of furniture intervention among students of tertiary institutions in Northwest Nigeria. The Cornell’s MSD questionnaire was used to investigate the prevalence of MSDs in different body regions of 174 students aged between 17 and 25 years. Eleven students’ anthropometric measures, relevant to furniture design, were gathered using appropriate equipment. Standardized regression equations for furniture design were used to compute the ergonomically compliant furniture dimensions for the participants. A new set of ergonomically designed furniture using the students’ anthropometry was introduced and the Cornell’s MSD questionnaire was used to investigate if the intervention made was significant or not. The first findings based on the questionnaire shows a high prevalent rate of MSDs especially at the back, neck and upper back among the students. Comparison of the obtained dimensions from the students’ anthropometry with that of the existing furniture shows significant level of mismatch. The most significant variations were identified in the elbow height/Table height, and popliteal/seat height. New furniture compactible with the students’ anthropometry was introduced in one of the institutions and a retest using the Cornell’s MSD shows a reduction in the prevalence rate among the students. However, there is still need for ergonomic enlightenment on safe study posture to further reduce the occurrence of MSDs.