Prevalence of Kyphotic Posture and its Association with Sitting Hours among Computer Users

Abstract

Background: Prolonged sitting and computer based occupational activities have been increasingly associated with postural abnormalities and musculoskeletal dysfunction. Kyphotic posture is a common spinal deviation that may develop due to sustained sedentary behavior and poor ergonomic practices. Objective: To determine the prevalence of kyphotic posture among computer users and evaluate its association with sitting duration in information technology professionals. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 377 computer users aged 20–50 years working in the IT sector of Islamabad and Rawalpindi between March and May 2024. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected through a demographic questionnaire, the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and the Occiput-to-Wall Distance (OWD) test. Kyphotic posture was categorized as normal, mild, moderate, or severe based on OWD measurements. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 23. Spearman correlation was applied to assess the relationship between sitting duration and kyphotic severity. Results: Out of 377 participants, 289 (76.7%) were male and 88 (23.3%) were female, with a mean age of 30.49 ± 8.1 years. Kyphotic posture prevalence was 87.0%, including mild (32.4%), moderate (45.9%), and severe (8.8%) categories, while only 13.0% demonstrated normal posture. Most participants reported sitting for 6–10 hours daily. A statistically significant association was identified between sitting duration and kyphotic severity (p = 0.032). Conclusion: Kyphotic posture was highly prevalent among computer users and demonstrated a significant association with prolonged sitting duration.

Keywords: Computer Users, Ergonomics, Information Technology Workers, Kyphosis, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Sedentary Behavior, Sitting Duration.