A Practical Method for School Furniture Design to Prevent Musculoskeletal Disorders among Pupils

Background: Design of school furniture is one of the contributing factors to back pain among pupils. Research has implicated that mismatch between school furniture and body size may be regarded as a causative factor for muculoskeletal disorders amongst pupils. To investigate the fitness between school furniture and pupils this study was designed and implemented in Hamadan City, west of Iran. Methods: This descriptive study was done on 1580 pupils from 11 to 18 years old including both genders, using cluster sampling. Anthropometrical dimensions including height and weight were measured and demographic data collected. Results: According to ISO 5970 procedure, all studied pupils, divided into four groups. In the first group, including both genders in first grade of secondary school, size 3 was purposed for redesign of school furniture. In the second group, including boys in second and third grade of secondary school, size 4 was purposed for redesign of school furniture. Accordingly, in the third group including girls from second grade of secondary school to end of high school, size 4 was purposed for redesign of school furniture. In forth group including high school boys, size 5 was purposed for redesign of school furniture. Conclusions: Current design of school furniture is not compatible with the purposed dimensions. In most cases, the same size furniture was in use from secondary schools to high schools.