Iran Occupational Health

Background and aims: Sitting on an unfitted chair can cause disorders of musculoskeletal system. In this study we investigated to determine the match of anthropometric dimension with classroom chairs in the students of 3^ed and 6^th grades primary school and finally offer the best dimension of the classroom chairs.

Methods: 572 primary schools students (male and female) were attended in this study which 275 and 297 of them were in 3^ed and 6^th grade respectively. Some of anthropometric dimensions such as shoulder height, elbow height, popliteal height, popliteal - buttock length and buttock breath were measured. Then anthropometric dimensions were compared with seats dimensions and the appropriate seat dimensions were offered.

Results: results showed all of the seat dimensions were larger than the anthropometric dimensions in the 3^ed students. Also in the 6^th grade students only seat height were match with popliteal height 85.3 and 84.5% in the girls and boys student respectively. Back rest height and seat depth were the larger while armrest height and seat width were the smaller than the students physical dimensions.

Conclusion: According to the differences in the body dimensions of the third and sixth grade students there are a little difference in the size of their seats. All of the seat dimensions are larger than the anthropometric dimensions in the 3^ed students. By reducing of the seat’s size, in addition to the decreasing in the production fee, we can increase match between students’ anthropometric dimensions and seats’ dimensions.