Clinical trial NCT03653767: Effects of Adjustable School Furniture
Official title: Effects of Adjustable School Furniture on Health-related Parameters in Students
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: UNKNOWN
Phase: NA
Conditions: Sedentary Lifestyle
Keywords: classroom ergonomics
sedentary behavior
school interventions
physical activity
Lead sponsor: University of Primorska
Sponsor class: OTHER
Collaborators: name: Innorenew CoE
First posted: 2018-08-31
Enrollment: 30
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 16
Maximum age (years): 24
Standard ages: CHILD
ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Randomised Control Trial
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: The aim of this study is to evaluate the level of mismatch between students and school furniture and to assess the effects of adjustable furniture on sedentary behavior, physical activity levels, and sitting posture in students. Firstly, we will obtain the anthropometric measures of all students participating in the study. Secondly, we will calculate the mismatch between the student's anthropometric measures and current school furniture. In the next step, the participants will be separated in two groups, the experimental and the control group. The participants in the experimental group will use adjustable school furniture for one week, whereas the control group will use the conventional school furniture. All the participants will wear an accelerometer for five consecutive days. The results obtained will indicate the furniture mismatch prevalence and demonstrate the effects of adjustable furniture on health-related parameters in students.

Detailed description: Sedentary behavior is a risk factor affecting not only working population but also adolescents. Students spend long period of time seated, which is being associated with reports of musculoskeletal discomfort and pain. The high level of mismatch between students and school furniture is being associated with adolescent lower back pain. The aim of this study is to evaluate the level of mismatch between students and school furniture and to assess the effects of adjustable furniture on sedentary behavior, physical activity levels, and sitting posture in students. Before the experimental part of the study, we will obtain the anthropometric measures of all students participating in the study to calculate the mismatch between the students and the school furniture. In the next step, the participants will be separated to the experimental or the control group. The experimental group will use adjustable school furniture for one week whereas the control group will use the conventional school furniture. All the participants will wear an accelerometer for five consecutive days. The participants will also complete questionnaires about the sedentary behavior and physical activity levels. The sitting posture will be evaluated with Rapid Upper Limb Assessment tool (RULA). Moreover, at the baseline and on the last day of measurements we will measure the classroom environment factors (light, noise, air flow, temperature). The results obtained will indicate the furniture mismatch prevalence and demonstrate the effects of adjustable furniture on health-related parameters in students.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* aged between 16 and 24 years
* student

Exclusion Criteria:

* body mass index \> 30kg/m2
* pain presence in any musculoskeletal part \> 3 on 10-level scale
* presence of any non-communicable chronical diseases
* pregnancy

Primary outcomes:
measure: Change of weekly physical activity levels
timeFrame: 5 days
measure: Change of sitting time
timeFrame: 5 days
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Adolescent Sedentary Activity Questionnaire
timeFrame: Baseline and after 5 days.
measure: Physical Activity Questionnaire for Adolescents
timeFrame: Baseline and after 5 days
measure: Anthropometric measurements of the students performed with anthropometer
timeFrame: Baseline
measure: Sitting posture
timeFrame: Baseline and after 5 days
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Skofja Loka
country: Slovenia
facility: Carpenter High School Skofja Loka
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Primorska
name: Nejc Sarabon, Phd
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
References: