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Open research questions in Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders

123 unresolved questions extracted from the limitations and future-work sections of 667 Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders papers in our library. Each links back to the study that raised it.

What the literature leaves open

  • However, how acute daily exposure interacts with cumulative long-term organizational tenure to drive neck pain prevalence among corporate administrative personnel remains insufficiently characterized within current epidemiological literature.

    The relationship between daily working duration and length of service with complaints of neck pain among computer-using administrative workers · 2026 · DOI

  • Decreased muscle strength and reduced joint flexibility in rural elderly people. Limited medical resources and daily health monitoring means in rural areas. The need for low-cost, easy-to-maintain smart solutions tailored to rural settings.

    Design of Rural Age-Friendly Smart Seat Based on Arduino · 2026 · DOI

  • The current rural public facilities lack age-friendly design and intelligent services. Most pilot projects have focused on urban communities, leaving rural areas largely neglected.

    Design of Rural Age-Friendly Smart Seat Based on Arduino · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of studies investigating the effect of exercise programs on improving posture in e-gamers. Prior studies have highlighted the growing problem of musculoskeletal effects from prolonged gaming.

    Utilization of Comprehensive Corrective Exercise Program for Improving Posture in Monitor-Based e-Gamers: A Quasi-Experimental Study · 2026 · DOI

  • For Physical Therapists and Clinicians, it is recommended that they include CCEP in standard treatment plans for posture-related musculoskeletal disorders, especially for the slouches of society, such as e-gamers, and to assess postural measures and symptom prevalence. The recommendations may still require further editing for clarity and alignment with the study findings. The investigators thought it would be worthwhile to intervene for longer than 4 weeks to see whether the benefit would persist. Assessing the Sorsogon Multidisciplinary Research Journal, 5(1): 26-39 ©2026 Sorsogon State University 37 Oconer et.

    Utilization of Comprehensive Corrective Exercise Program for Improving Posture in Monitor-Based e-Gamers: A Quasi-Experimental Study · 2026 · DOI

  • Designing chairs that prioritize both comfort and biomechanical support. Developing effective methods for measuring and evaluating the biomechanical and perceptual aspects of chair design. Balancing the needs of different user populations (e.g. students, workers) in chair design.

    Biomechanical and perceptual evaluation of a design studio chair: Implications for dynamic seating, musculoskeletal health and ergonomic redesign · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on the biomechanical and perceptual aspects of design studio chairs. Prior studies have focused primarily on traditional ergonomic approaches to chair design, neglecting the importance of considering both perceptual and biomechanical factors.

    Biomechanical and perceptual evaluation of a design studio chair: Implications for dynamic seating, musculoskeletal health and ergonomic redesign · 2026 · DOI

  • Prolonged screen use is a challenge for health workers, increasing the risk of CVS. The elimination of natural eye breaks is a challenge for health workers, increasing the risk of CVS. The lack of effective interventions to reduce the risk of CVS is a challenge for healthcare organizations.

    From care to screens: assessing computer vision syndrome among health workers in Mengwi II Community Health Center (2025) · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on the prevalence and risk factors of Computer Vision Syndrome among administrative staff and healthcare workers. There is a need to identify effective interventions to reduce the risk of CVS in healthcare settings.

    From care to screens: assessing computer vision syndrome among health workers in Mengwi II Community Health Center (2025) · 2026 · DOI

  • Background A growing body of evidence suggests that a combination of physical, psychological, and environmental factors increases the likelihood of experiencing complaints related to the arm, neck, and/or shoulder (CANS), although the precise nature of these relationships and their potential long-term effects remain uncertain.

    Computer use duration and body mass index as risk factors for arm, neck, and shoulder complaints among regular computer-using workers: A systematic review and meta-analysis · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies can investigate the effectiveness of interventions to improve vision health and work productivity. Studies can explore the impact of DVI and NVI on other industries and populations.

    Distance and near vision impairment and its impact on work productivity among garment industry workers in Hyderabad, Telangana, India · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of data on the prevalence and impact of DVI and NVI among garment industry workers. The study aims to address this gap.

    Distance and near vision impairment and its impact on work productivity among garment industry workers in Hyderabad, Telangana, India · 2026 · DOI

  • M. Math Mahantesh1 · K. V. S. Rajeswara Rao2 · A. C. Prapul Chandra1 · M. N. Vijayakumar2 · B. Nandini2 · C. Durga Prasad3 · Hitesh Vasudev4 © The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag France SAS, part of Springer Nature 2026 Retraction to: International Journal on Interactive Design and Manufacturing (IJIDeM) (2023) 18:5875-5891. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12008-023-01383-9. The Publisher has retracted this article in agreement with the Editor-in-Chief. The article was submitted to be part of a guest-edited issue. An investigation by the publisher found a number of articles, including this one, with a number of concerns, including but not limited to compromised editorial handling and peer review process, inappropriate or irrelevant references or not being in scope of the journal or guest-edited issue. Based on the investigation’s findings the publisher, in consultation with the Editor-in-Chief therefore no longer has confidence in the results and conclusions of this article. B Nandidi, Durga Prasad C, M N Vijayakumar and Prapul Chandra A C did not state whether they agree or disagree with the retraction. Hitesh Vasudev, Mahantesh Math and Rajeswara Rao K V S disagree with this retraction. Publisher’s Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations. The original article can be found online at https://doi.org/10.1007/s1 2008-023-01383-9. B C.

    Retraction Note: Design and modeling using finite element analysis for the sitting posture of computer users based on ergonomic perspective · 2026 · DOI

  • The study had a limited number of participants reporting less than 2 hours or more than 6 hours of daily smartphone use. The sample was reclassified into two groups: those using smartphones for 4 hours and those using them for > 4 hours per day.

    Comparison of posture, pain, disability and quality of life in young adults according to smartphone usage time · 2026 · DOI

  • The lack of ergonomic design in furniture and equipment used in workplaces. The need to identify health problems experienced by users and provide solutions.

    Ergonomic Evaluation of Furniture and Equipment Elements Used in Offices: Kastamonu University Example · 2026 · DOI

  • The physical burden of backpack carrying can lead to health problems in school-aged children. The design and use of backpacks can affect physiological responses and posture in schoolchildren. There is a need to develop guidelines for backpack design and use in primary school students.

    Evaluating physiological responses and forward head-neck posture in primary students in Thailand when carrying modified and traditional backpacks · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a need to investigate the effects of backpack design and carrying method on physiological responses and head-neck posture in primary school students. Previous studies have not fully addressed the impact of backpack design characteristics on physiological strain and postural deviations in schoolchildren.

    Evaluating physiological responses and forward head-neck posture in primary students in Thailand when carrying modified and traditional backpacks · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on the prevalence of scapular dyskinesia in Generation Z individuals. Prior studies have focused on asymptomatic non-athletic populations, but the prevalence in Generation Z individuals is unknown.

    Prevalence of Scapular Dyskinesia in Generation Z A Cross-sectional Observational Study · 2026 · DOI

  • The study was limited by a relatively small sample size (n = 50) and the use of convenience sampling, which may restrict generalisability to the wider Generation Z population. The cross-sectional design prevents causal interpretation. A formal paired comparison of right- versus left-side dyskinesia prevalence (e.g., McNemar's test) was not performed and is recommended for future work. Advanced biomechanical assessment techniques such as electromyography and three-dimensional motion analysis were not utilised, and inter-rater reliability of visual assessment was not formally evaluated. Future studies should employ larger, randomly selected samples, longitudinal designs, and advanced biomechanical techniques to better understand the natural progression and clinical implications of asymptomatic scapular dyskinesia in Generation Z. 5. CONCLUSION Scapular dyskinesia was prevalent in 78.0% of apparently healthy Generation Z individuals, confirming that it commonly exists as a subclinical movement dysfunction in the absence of pain or functional limitation. The SDT identified a higher number of cases of dyskinesia than the LSST, underscoring the importance of dynamic over static assessment. Right- and left-side LSST measurements differed significantly (p < 0.001), and males showed significantly greater asymmetry than females at 90° IJFMR260381771 Volume 8, Issue 3, May-June 2026 7 International Journal for Multidisciplinary Research (IJFMR) E-ISSN: 2582-2160 ● Website: www.ijfmr.com ● Email: [email protected] abduction (p = 0.002), while overall prevalence did not differ by gender (p = 1.000). These findings support the integration of movement-based screening tools into preventive physiotherapy practice for young non-clinical populations.

    Prevalence of Scapular Dyskinesia in Generation Z A Cross-sectional Observational Study · 2026 · DOI

  • The study had a relatively small sample size of 100 university students. The study was limited to a specific age range of 18-25 years. The study did not control for other factors that may influence musculoskeletal health, such as physical activity levels or ergonomic factors.

    Smartphone Usage and Its Functional Consequences: A Study of Hand Grip Strength and Wrist Flexibility in University Students Aged 18–25 Years · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of research on the specific effects of smartphone use on musculoskeletal health in young adults. Prior studies have focused on the general health effects of smartphone use, but few have investigated the musculoskeletal implications.

    Smartphone Usage and Its Functional Consequences: A Study of Hand Grip Strength and Wrist Flexibility in University Students Aged 18–25 Years · 2026 · DOI

  • The study only used two N95 FFR models. The study had a limited number of participants (25). The study did not verify the results with human subjects over an extended period.

    Assessment of N95 Strap Placement Across Multiple Uses · 2026 · DOI

  • Further studies should investigate the effect of strap placement on the fit factor of other N95 FFR models. Studies should verify the results with human subjects over an extended period.

    Assessment of N95 Strap Placement Across Multiple Uses · 2026 · DOI

  • There is a lack of understanding of how different reading media influence accommodation. There is a need to investigate the effects of device type and screen size on accommodation response.

    Device-dependent variations in accommodation response during printed and digital reading · 2026 · DOI

  • Future research should investigate the application of the proposed methods to other types of movements and products. Future research should explore the use of other machine learning algorithms for behavior card determination.

    Towards user-product interaction prediction with musculoskeletal human models: a methodological comparison for posture prediction · 2026 · DOI

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123 open questions have been extracted from the limitations and future-work passages of 667 Ergonomics and Musculoskeletal Disorders papers in our library. Each one below links back to the study that raised it, so you can read the original claim in context.

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