Postural analysis of farm women perfoming harvesting operation

Harvesting is one of the agricultural activities in which women are highly engaged in India. Harvesting requires stooped posture, hence it causes postural stress among farm women and results in fatigue and various kind of musculoskeletal problems. The study was conducted at student's farm of C.S.A.U.A.&T., Kanpur. Findings of the study showed that angle of body deviation of farm women from the normal body curve was 49°. Furthermore, most of the body parts of the farm women were found tensed due to work along with maximum value of physiological cost of work during working period. Except it, very severe body pain was perceived by farm women in neck, upper back, upper arms and lower back. All these findings suggest high postural stress caused due to the posture adopted during harvesting operation and may results in musculoskeltal disorders among farm women.