Video display users and musculoskeletal pain

By Kim Sang-hyuk

In modern times, many occupations involve Video Display Terminals (VDTs). Also, the increasing number of computer and smartphone users has led to a rapid growth in the overall size of VDT user groups. As is evident from our daily lives, modern society is closely integrated with VDTs.

Musculoskeletal pains and VDT

According to research conducted by

Schwanniger in 1991, 38 percent of 2,722 office workers surveyed suffered from neck pain, 38 percent had back pain, 32 percent shoulder pain and 11 percent had pain in their arms or hands (interviewees were allowed to give multiple answers). Only one-third of the workers said they did not have any pain.

Researchers say that two third of the office workers had VDT-related musculoskeletal disorders.

In 1997 Michaelis reported that 62 percent of 1,720 office workers surveyed had musculoskeletal pain, while in research in 2011 by Bode and Isfort two-thirds of 1,002 office workers had symptoms. Marcus also reported that 50 percent of computer users suffered from musculoskeletal pains within only a year after they had new job.

Time of VDT usage and pain

In 1995, Bergqvist and his fellow researchers studied 353 office workers in an attempt to understand the relationship between the amount of time they used VDTs and musculoskeletal pain.

The researchers found that office workers using VDTs more than 20 hous a week were exposed to a higher risk of musculoskeletal disorders. Furthermore, the time spent had an impact on the level of pain. In 2002, Nakazawa stated in his research that mental and sleep-related disorders were rampant in those who used VDTs more than five hours a day. Physical symptoms also worsened.

Postures causing neck pain

In 2001, Ariens surveyed 1,334 workers to study the relation between neck pain and working posture. According to him, those who spend 95 percent of their work time seated had a higher prevalence of neck pain.

Also, it was reported that spending more than 70 percent of working time with a neck flexion greater than 20 degrees, results in 1.63-times higher risk of neck pain. This is because stretching out the head 1 centimeter places up to 3 kilograms of additional weight on the neck. The forward head posture, oftentimes caused by increased use of VDTs, puts an additional 15 kilograms of weight onto the neck.

Ways to prevent disorders

For office workers who cannot help but sit and stare at a computer monitor the entire day, creating an optimal ergonomic configuration of your working environment is critical. Align the monitor at eye level and have shoulders relaxed and elbows close to your body.

Stretch your neck frequently to relax the stiffened muscles in your neck, shoulders and back, and try to avoid having the same posture for more than an hour. Remember, stretching is the easiest and best way to prevent musculoskeletal disorders.

The writer is director of the spine center at Bumin Hospital Seoul in Gangseo-gu. He was named in the 2014 edition of Marquis Who's Who.