Left-handedness and Musculoskeletal Disorder in Classroom Adhelia Bella Kristiani, Nurul Retno Nurwulan
Department of Industrial Engineering, Sampoerna University
Abstract
Life becomes harder for left-handers since most of the tools were designed based on the right-handed population. In the classroom, many left-handed students face uncomfortable feelings when they write using the classroom chair. The awkward posture generated by the usage of the improper desk could cause musculoskeletal disorder symptoms because they are forced to adjust their posture to reach the table in order to write properly. This study aimed to observe some potential behavior that might contribute to the awkward posture. The identification of the potential problems such as uncomfortable feelings and health problems often faced by left-handed students was done using both qualitative and quantitative methods. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ) was given to 7 subjects to evaluate their current physical conditions that might be caused by the prolonged sitting in the classroom. The quantitative evaluation using the degree of neck and spinal lateral bend showed the subjects had to bend for at least 40 degrees to be able to write in the classroom. In addition, there were 6 out of 7 students experienced pain in the last 7 days. It was evident that left-handed students performed awkward posture during the writing task in the classroom that might cause them experience musculoskeletal disorders.
