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http://dx.doi.org/10.12674/ptk.2012.19.1.001

A Comparison of Pelvic, Spine Angle and Buttock Pressure in Various Cross-legged Sitting Postures  

Kang, Sun-Young (Dept. of Physical Therapy, The Graduate School, Yonsei University)
Kim, Seung-Hyeon (Dept. of Biomedical Engineering & Institute of Medical Engineering, The Graduate School, Yonsei University)
Ahn, Soon-Jae (Dept. of Biomedical Engineering & Institute of Medical Engineering, The Graduate School, Yonsei University)
Kim, Young-Ho (Dept. of Biomedical Engineering & Institute of Medical Engineering, College of Health Sciences, Yonsei University)
Jeon, Hye-Seon (Dept. of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Yonsei University/Institute of Health Science, Yonsei University)
Publication Information
Physical Therapy Korea / v.19, no.1, 2012 , pp. 1-9 More about this Journal
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to investigate the kinematic and kinetic changes that may occur in the pelvic and spine regions during cross-legged sitting postures. Experiments were performed on sixteen healthy subjects. Data were collected while the subject sat in 4 different sitting postures for 5 seconds: uncrossed sitting with both feet on the floor (Posture A), sitting while placing his right knee on the left knee (Posture B), sitting by placing right ankle on left knee (Posture C), and sitting by placing right ankle over the left ankle (Posture D). The order of the sitting posture was random. The sagittal plane angles (pelvic tilt, lumbar A-P curve, thoracic A-P curve) and the frontal plane angles (pelvic obliquity, lumber lateral curves, thoracic lateral curves) were obtained using VICON system with 6 cameras and analyzed with Nexus software. The pressure on each buttock was measured using Tekscan. Repeated one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare the angle and pressure across the four postures. The Bonferroni's post hoc test was used to determine the differences between upright trunk sitting and cross-legged postures. In sagittal plane, cross-legged sitting postures showed significantly greater kyphotic curves in lumbar and thoracic spine when compared uncrossed sitting posture. Also, pelvic posterior tilting was greater in cross-legged postures. In frontal plane, only height of the right pelvic was significantly higher in Posture B than in Posture A. Finally, in Posture B, the pressure on the right buttock area was greater than Posture A and, in Posture C, the pressure on the left buttock area was greater than Posture A. However, all dependent variables in both planes did not demonstrate any significant difference among the three cross-legged postures (p>.05). The findings suggest that asymmetric changes in the pelvic and spine region secondary to the prolonged cross-legged sitting postures may cause lower back pain and deformities in the spine structures.
Keywords
Asymmetric pelvic; Cross-legged sitting posture; Kyphosis; Scoliosis;
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