A short term evaluation of scapular upper brace on posture and its influence on cognition and behavior among adult students

Abstract

Background: Inappropriate sitting posture leads to musculoskeletal problems and is reported to be linked with the individual's confidence. This study explores the importance of recommended sitting posture on student, health, and sleep. Methods: 70 volunteer adolescent students aged 18–26 years were enrolled in this study. Instructions and sensitization lectures about the study were conducted and obtained informed consent. The students were asked to wear an upper scapular brace from 8.30 a.m. to 4.30 p.m. daily/31 days and advised to maintain the optimal sitting posture as per occupational health guidelines. The effect of the upper scapular brace and optimal sitting on posture from the various body angles were measured at sitting and standing. Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Simple lifestyle indicator questionnaires (SLIQ), Happiness index (HI) responses was collected and analysed. Measured multitasking tests and anthropometric variables like Height, Weight, and BMI before and after the intervention and effect sizes (Cohen's d) was calculated. Used an alpha level (P < 0.05) to define statistical significance. Results: Significant differences (trivial or minor effect) were observed on PQSI, Height, BMI, back, hip, and knee angles only on sitting position following an intervention. Conclusion: The findings of this study propose that wearing an upper scapular brace may assist in maintaining the optimal posture by influencing the back, hip, and knee angle and improves the quality of sleep. However, no significant difference among cognition and other measured indexes was observed.

Keywords

• Body angles
• Cognition
• Multitasking posture brace intervention
• Sleep
• Sitting posture