REBA and RULA: Whole Body and Upper Limb Rapid Assessment Tools - Fundamentals and Assessment Tools for Occupational Ergonomics - page 801

42.2 REBA: The Postures

The baseline posture is the functional anatomically neutral posture as defined by the American Academy
of Orthopedic Surgeons (1965). Increasing scores are allocated as the posture moves away from the
neutral position based on biomechanical studies from the literature. The body parts are grouped into:

Group A: trunk, neck, and legs (Figure 42.1 and Table 42.2)
Group B: upper arms, lower arms, and wrists (Figure 42.2 and Table 42.3)

1

2

2

0°

20°

20°

3

3

60°

4

L3/L4

2

0°

1

20°

2

+1

2 +2

1

30° − 60°

> 60°

FIGURE 42.1 Group A postures. (From Hignett, S. 1998. In: Pitt-Brooke, J., Raid, H., Lockwood, J., and Kerr
K., (Eds.), Rehabilitation of Movement. Theoretical Basis of Clinical Practice. London: W.B. Saunders Company Ltd.
Chapter 13, pp. 480-486.)