Preventing Neck & Back Pain in Teleworking Office Workers: a Randomized Controlled Trial

University Ghent600 enrolled

Overview

The purpose of this study is to assess the effect of a general training program and educational session to prevent neck and/or low back pain in desktop workers

After being informed about the study and potential risks, all subjects that met the preset inclusion criteria and gave written informed consent to participate will be randomized into an intervention or control group in a 1:1 ratio. Next, subjects of both groups will undergo baseline testing (online survey). The subjects of the intervention group receive a single educational video (online) and are motivated to follow 2 training sessions of 60 minutes each, during 12 consecutive weeks. Instructions for the specific exercises are provided via an online platform. The subjects of the control group are instructed to maintain their normal working activities and activities of daily life and receive no further intervention. Subjects of both groups are prompted to fill out a weekly online logbook to gather information on their physical activity and neck and/or back complaints. All subjects undergo post-intervention testing at 12 weeks (short term effects), 6 months, and 12 months (long term effects).

Study Type

INTERVENTIONAL

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

PREVENTION

Masking

DOUBLE

Enrollment

600

Conditions

Neck Pain Low Back Pain Back Pain

Interventions

Exercise programOTHER

educational video on training program design and healthy lifestyle 24 training sessions (12 on cardiovascular endurance training, 12 on mobility and strength)

Eligibility

Sex: ALLMin age: 18 YearsMax age: 69 YearsHealthy volunteers:

Medical Language ↔ Plain English

Inclusion Criteria * age between 18-69 years * perform regular desktop work (at least 20 hours/week) * perform desktop work for at least 1 year (employee or student) Exclusion Criteria: * documented structural neck- and/or back pathology (confirmed by medical imaging) * known shoulder or vestibular pathology * whiplash-associated disorders * history of surgery in the neck, shoulder, hip, and/or back area * (history of) chronic pain condition * serious headache * serious cardiovascular/metabolic/systemic/neurological conditions * chronic fatigue syndrome * fibromyalgia * psychiatric conditions or history of serious depression * serious catastrophizing thoughts * pregnancy or delivery in the past year

Locations (1)

Ghent University

Ghent, East Flanders, Belgium

RECRUITING

Outcomes

Primary Outcomes

neck pain

Did you develop neck pain (YES or NO)

Time frame: 1 year

low back pain

Did you develop low back pain (YES or NO)

Time frame: 1 year

Secondary Outcomes

behavioral change

Tendency to remain physically active (PA) during working hours as compared to before your participation in this study (Likert-type scale: not at all PA - slightly less PA - equally PA - slightly more PA - clearly more PA)

Time frame: 1 year

physical activity (Baecke Questionnaire)

physical activity measurement (activities are scored on a scale of 1-5 with the total scored from 3-15. the lower the score, the less physically active)

Time frame: 1year

time to exposure

amount of desktop work (hours/week)

Time frame: 1year

global perceived effect

What is your global perceived effect of the intervention program (NRS - score/100)

Time frame: 1year

use of (pain) medication and/or (para)medical care

use of (pain) medication and/or (para)medical care (name, dosage/frequency, effect, prescribed or direct acces)

Time frame: 1year

Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21 questionnaire)

fear, depressive mood, and stress due to COVID-19 crisis and confinement (21 items, Each item is scored from 0 to 3 and is doubled so the global ISI score ranges from 0 to 42)

Data from ClinicalTrials.gov

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