Combined Effect of Whole-Body Vibration and Posture on Vibration Discomfort Assessment: A Posture-Corrected Framework

Salam Rahmatalla; Jonathan DeShaw; Yash Kumar Dhabi; Brian Fiegel; Elizabeth M. Ritchie; Tyler Guzowski; Geb Thomas; David G. Wilder; Nathan B. Fethke

doi:10.3390/vibration9030059

Back

Combined Effect of Whole-Body Vibration and Posture on Vibration Discomfort Assessment: A Posture-Corrected Framework

Journal article

Open access

Peer reviewed

Combined Effect of Whole-Body Vibration and Posture on Vibration Discomfort Assessment: A Posture-Corrected Framework

Salam Rahmatalla, Jonathan DeShaw, Yash Kumar Dhabi, Brian Fiegel, Elizabeth M. Ritchie, Tyler Guzowski, Geb Thomas, David G. Wilder and Nathan B. Fethke

Vibration, Vol.9(3), 59

09/15/2026

DOI: 10.3390/vibration9030059

Files and links (1)

url

https://doi.org/10.3390/vibration9030059View

Published (Version of record) Open Access

Abstract

This study introduces a framework to incorporate a posture-related correction into discomfort evaluation during seated whole-body vibration. In total, 24 participants (12 male and 12 female) were exposed to simulated three-dimensional random vibration representative of an agricultural machine, with an unweighted root mean square (RMS) acceleration of 1.08 m/s2 and frequency content up to 30 Hz, while adopting four seated configurations: the Forward, Recline, Forward/Recline Oscillation, and Left/Right Twist Oscillation postures. Weighted vibration magnitudes were evaluated at the seat surface per ISO 2631-1 point vibration total value (pVTV) and adjusted using Rindex to produce a posture-corrected point vibration total value, pVTV(p). Rindex represents the unweighted deviation of the neck and trunk posture from neutral. In an exploratory comparison with Borg CR-10 subjective discomfort ratings, pVTV(p) showed a descriptive alignment across the four posture means (R2 = 0.682; Spearman ρ = 0.949) with the observed posture rank order. These findings support pVTV(p) as a preliminary posture-adjusted exposure descriptor for seated WBV conditions, while further validation is needed. The preliminary Rindex formulation can be expanded through adequately powered studies to include joint-specific contributions to discomfort in a weighted form.

ISO 2631-1

posture index

musculoskeletal discomfort

exposure time

non-neutral postures

Details

Title: Subtitle: Combined Effect of Whole-Body Vibration and Posture on Vibration Discomfort Assessment: A Posture-Corrected Framework
Creators: Salam Rahmatalla - University of Iowa
Jonathan DeShaw - University of Iowa
Yash Kumar Dhabi - University of Iowa
Brian Fiegel - University of Iowa
Elizabeth M. Ritchie - University of Iowa
Tyler Guzowski - University of Iowa
Geb Thomas - University of Iowa, Industrial and Systems Engineering
David G. Wilder - University of Iowa
Nathan B. Fethke - University of Iowa
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Vibration, Vol.9(3), 59
DOI: 10.3390/vibration9030059
ISSN: 2571-631X
eISSN: 2571-631X
Publisher: MDPI
Grant note: National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH): U54OH007548
This study was supported by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) within the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) through a cooperative agreement with the Great Plains Center for Agricultural Health (CDC/NIOSH grant no: U54OH007548). The findings and conclusions in this work are those of the authors and do not necessarily represent the views of CDC/NIOSH.
Language: English
Date published: 09/15/2026
Academic Unit: Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Civil and Environmental Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health; Iowa Technology Institute; Orthopedics and Rehabilitation; Industrial and Systems Engineering; Injury Prevention Research Center
Record Identifier: 9985230784202771

Metrics

3 Record Views