Summary
Three-dimensional dynamic seating for more efficient office work
Study on the impact of the threedimensional office chair system ON®
on cognitive skills and the subjective feeling of well-being
Boris Feodoroff
Ingo Froböse
November 2011
1
Foreword
The debate on adapting office workspaces on a needs-based and appropriate manner has long called for a more active concept that fosters more physical activity. A lack of movement and physical inactivity are seen as risk factors for various conditions such as obesity, heart and circulatory problems, diabetes type 2, but also muscle and skeletal diseases (Manson et al.,
2004; Hamilton et al., 2008; Owen et al., 2009; Thorp et al., 2009).Integrating movement into our day-to-day lives is extremely important for our health and consequently for socioeconomic reasons too. Studies demonstrate that sitting still in offices does lasting damage to health. Activity undertaken after the end of the working day cannot adequately compensate for the negative effect of this long period of sitting still (Vlahos, 2011; Judson, 2010). The
Centre for Health at the German Sport University Cologne published a report entitled A new approach to ergonomics in the office an investigation of the biomechanical effects of a new office chair system (2009). The report showed that three-dimensional seating on Wilkhahn's office chair ON gives people back freedom of movement in all its dimensions, both from a physiological and anatomical standpoint. ON allows the body a new and more varied scope of movement.
But it is about much more than just health. Previous studies confirm the positive impact of movement on cognitive powers and a sense of well-being. For example, the cognitive powers of senior citizens are examined in relation to their level of physical activity. The authors discovered that physically more active people also achieve better cognitive results
(see also Abbott et al. 2004; Albert et al., 1995; Laurinet al., 2001; Lytle et al., 2004; Weuve et al., 2004; Yaffe et al., 2001). Nowadays, the principle of an active break for children and young people is a common concept when the goal is to boost attention spans in day-to-day school life (see also Dordel, 2003).
Furthermore the positive interaction of movement and a feeling of well-being has also been borne out by various studies (see also Neumann &Frasch, 2007; Woll&Bös, 2004).
Therefore, the goal of this field study is find out whether and to what extent the threedimensional dynamic seating and the much greater range of motion that ON offers can also lead to improvement in cognitive powers and a feeling of well-being in office workers.
Method
The following questions are a result of the objective set: can three-dimensional dynamic seating lead to an improvement in office workers' attention spans and powers of concentration? Does three-dimensional dynamic seating also provide more comfort in the office and can it therefore have an impact on the subjective feeling of well-being?
2
