Effects of Bluetooth-Enabled Desk Ellipticals on Office Work Performance: Rationale, Design, and Protocol for a Randomized Trial With Overweight and Obese Adults

Effects of Desk Pedaling Work Rate on Concurrent Work Performance among Physically Inactive Adults: A Randomized Experiment

PURPOSE

Under-desk pedaling devices could help reduce health risks associated with the global decline in work-related energy expenditure. However, the optimal pedaling work rate to facilitate concurrent work performance among physically inactive adults is unclear. We examined the effects of two light-intensity pedaling work rates on physically inactive adults' work performance.

METHODS

We recruited equal numbers of older (45-65 yr) versus younger (20-44 yr), male versus female, and overweight/obese (body mass index [BMI], 25-35 kg·m -2 ) versus normal weight (BMI, 18.5-24.9 kg·m -2 ) participants. Using a Graeco-Latin square design, participants ( n = 96) completed a laboratory experiment to evaluate the effects of using an under-desk pedaling device at two seated light-intensity work rates (17 and 25 W), relative to a seated nonpedaling condition on objectively measured typing, reading, logical reasoning, and phone task performance. Ergonomic comfort under each pedaling work rate was also assessed. Equivalence tests were used to compare work performance under the pedaling versus nonpedaling conditions.

RESULTS

Treatment fidelity to the 17- and 25-W pedaling work rates exceeded 95%. Mean work performance scores for each pedaling and nonpedaling condition were equivalent under alpha = 0.025. Age, sex, and BMI did not significantly moderate the effect of pedaling on work performance. Participants reported greater ergonomic comfort while completing work tasks at the 17-W relative to the 25-W work rate.

CONCLUSIONS

Physically inactive adults obtained similar work performance scores under the 17- and 25-W pedaling and the nonpedaling conditions, suggesting that either pedaling work rate could help reduce health risks of sedentary work time. The 17-W work rate yielded greater ergonomic comfort and may be an appropriate starting point for introducing diverse inactive workers to under-desk pedaling.

Designing and Usability testing of a New Prototype Active Footrest for Knee Extension Exercise Among Office Workers

OBJECTIVES

The active factor along with light exercise can reduce static muscle work and increase muscle flexibility and endurance. Accordingly, this study aimed to design and prototype a new active footrest, implemented in conventional sitting workstations and to test its usability among office workers.

METHODS

The steps taken to design and prototype the active footrest were a) selection of an exercise appropriate for goals of ergonomic interventions, b) idea development, c) selection of the best conceptual design, d) design with SOLIDWORKS version 2016 software, and e) fabrication of a prototype. Afterward, the usability of the active footrest prototype was assessed among 20 office workers (10 females) using field data by the System Usability Scale.

RESULTS

Upon the completion of the design steps, the active footrest prototype was prototyped by taking into account design criteria (e.g. functionality, inclusive design, easy application, and reduction of additional body movement), anthropometric data and mechanical properties. The participants rated the usability of the active workstation as 89 ± 8.21 (out of 100) and indicating good usability results.

CONCLUSION

In this study, an active footrest was designed and prototyped to perform knee extension exercise with the capability of being implemented in conventional sitting workstations.