Article

Conflicting evidence exists regarding relationships among sitting
posture, factors that influence sitting posture, and back pain. This conflicting
evidence may partially be due to the presence of multiple and overlapping factors
associated with both sitting posture and back pain. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of
this study was to determine whether the degree of slump in sitting was associated
with sex and other physical, lifestyle, or psychosocial factors. Additionally,
the relationship between the report of back pain made worse by sitting and the
degree of slump in sitting and other physical, lifestyle, or psychosocial factors
was investigated. DESIGN: This was a cross-sectional study. METHODS: Adolescents
(n=1,596) completed questionnaires to determine lifestyle and psychosocial
profiles and the experience of back pain. Sagittal sitting posture, body mass
index (BMI), and back muscle endurance (BME) were recorded. Standing posture
subgroup categorization was determined. RESULTS: Multivariate analysis revealed
that the most significant factor associated with the degree of slump in sitting
was male sex, followed by non-neutral standing postures, lower perceived
self-efficacy, lower BME, greater television use, and higher BMI. Multivariable
analysis indicated poorer Child Behaviour Checklist scores were the strongest
correlate of report of back pain made worse by sitting, whereas degree of slump
in sitting, female sex, and BME were more weakly related. LIMITATIONS: Causality
cannot be determined from this cross-sectional study, and 60% of sitting posture
variation was not explained by the measured variables. CONCLUSIONS: Slump in
sitting was associated with physical correlates, as well as sex, lifestyle, and
psychosocial factors, highlighting the complex, multidimensional nature of usual
sitting posture in adolescents. Additionally, this study demonstrated that a
greater degree of slump in sitting was only weakly associated with adolescent
back pain made worse by sitting after adjustment for other physical and
psychosocial factors.

Langue : ANGLAIS