2-DIMENSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHIC POSTURE RECORDING AND DESCRIPTION - A VALIDITY STUDY

Posture recording and description is necessary to yield data by which postural load can be assessed. In this paper an inexpensive and simple method to gather these data is described, ie two-dimensional (2-D) po sture recording and description by means of photography. A disadvantag e of this method, perspective error, is discussed and guidelines are g iven to reduce it. The validity of the method was experimentally teste d for a situation slightly conflicting with some guidelines, ie record ing of the whole body, with a small distance between camera and subjec t. For this purpose posture recording with 2-D photography was compare d with posture recording by means of a three-dimensional optoelectroni c system (Vicon). In general, 2-D photographic posture recording and d escription is a valid method as long as some guidelines for reduction of perspective error are followed.