Research

Ergoport’s PosturePod (formerly known as the ‘Ergoport’), was developed by an exercise Physiologist in 2000 in response to the increasing number of people sustaining computer related overuse syndromes.

The human body was not designed to sit a desk for hours on end and work on a computer. As such the PosturePod was designed as a forearm support to alleviate all common upper limb and thoracic overuse disorders. Epidemiological studies undertaken by the US Department of Labor and Industries, and the Australian Department of Industrial Relations revealed that 1 in 3 computer users suffer from overuse syndromes. In Washington State between 1995 and 2003, there were more than 500,000 worker’s compensation claims for Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) per year, with 3,007 claims for Carpel Tunnel Syndrome alone, with an average cost of US $19,851 each and an average time loss of 232 days of work.

The PosturePod shot to national prominence by winning the Institute of Engineers Australia, “Engineering Excellence Award, 2003” in the Health, Welfare, Safety & Training Division, judged and awarded by WorkCover NSW. In turn, this forearm support was on public display at Sydney’s Powerhouse Museum throughout 2004. The PosturePod was also officially endorsed by the Australian Physiotherapy Association (APA) from July 2003 for a number of years after undergoing a stringent evaluation process by an APA panel, including musculoskeletal physiotherapists and rehabilitation physiotherapists, to ensure that the PosturePod satisfied specific APA requirements.