Clinical trial NCT03845803: Reducing Sedentary Behaviour in Office Workers
Official title: "Sit - Stand - Be Fit" - Influence of Sit/Stand Workstations on Sedentary Behaviour and the Prevalence and Intensity of Musculoskeletal Diseases in Office Workers of an Austrian Bank Headquarter
Study type: OBSERVATIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Conditions: Sedentary Lifestyle
Keywords: Sit/stand workstation
Office workers
Sedentary behaviour
Sitting time
Musculoskeletal disorder
Lead sponsor: University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions Upper Austria
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2019-02-19
Enrollment: 427
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 18
Maximum age (years): 65
Standard ages: ADULT
OLDER_ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Observational model: CASE_ONLY
Time perspective: PROSPECTIVE
Sampling method: NON_PROBABILITY_SAMPLE
Study population: People of all genders, between 18 and 65 years of age, working in an Austrian bank headquarter, who are affected by their company´s plans to replace all office workstation desks (non-adjustable) by electric height-adjustable sit/stand workstations with desk-height memory function in March 2019.

Brief summary: This is a one year observational field study investigating changes in sedentary behaviour and the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders of office workers induced by sit/stand workstations. All employees of an Austrian bank headquarter (approx. 1200 people) will be newly equipped with electric sit/stand workstations by their company in February and March 2019. The main outcomes will be occupational sitting and standing time as well as the occurence and intensity of neck and back pain.

Detailed description: Background Currently, 18.5 percent of all European Union citizens sit more than 7.5 hours per day. It is estimated that approximately one third of white-collar workers spend more than 7.5 hours per day seated. Moreover, it is assumed that working adults sit for up to two thirds of their working time on average, with some office-based occupations (e.g. call center employees) requiring workers to sit for more than 80% of their working day. Although the decline in physical activity helped to reduce physical overload and the accompanying risks, ongoing activity pattern changes are relevant factors in the development of health-related problems. Sedentary and sitting time are both risk factors for several diseases, such as obesity, depression and all-cause mortality. Interestingly, risks of prolonged sitting are independent of physical activity levels.

A possible way to reduce occupational sitting time are sit/stand workstations. Sit-to-stand workstations provide an incentive for people to work in either a sitting or standing posture and facilitate regular sit-to-stand transitions. Despite the global increase in incidence rates, the majority of office workers in Austria are still not provided with this kind of workstation because of concerns about utilization rates.

Aim The primary aim of this observational study is to investigate the mid-term effect (1 year) of sit/stand workstations on occupational sitting and standing time as well as the prevalence and intensity of neck and back pain. Secondary aims are the short- and mid-term effects of sit/stand workstations on weekly physical activity as well as daily and weekly sitting and standing time. Furthermore, their effect on the prevalence and intensity of shoulder pain should be analysed. Lastly, predictors for postural changes at work (between sitting and standing) as well as correlates between the IPAQ and OSPAQ questionnaire for office workers should be determinated.

Intervention All employees of an Austrian bank headquarter will be newly equipped with sit/stand workstations by their own company. Prior to this furniture change, all employees were equipped with traditional sit workstations. The study uses the company induced furniture change for scientific purposes. Hence, the furniture change was not driven by the research institution (university).

Methods Within this study 4 assessment days will be executed. They will be carried out 2 weeks before (baseline) and 3, 6 and 12 months after the furniture change. On each assessment day an online survey will be applied. This survey consists of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), the Occupational Sitting and Physical Activity Questionnaire (OSPAQ), the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ), Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and well as questions addressing participants´ characteristics.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* All office workers from a bank headquarter who are affected by the office furniture change (replacement of traditional sitting work desks by sit/stand workstations)
* People with sufficient German language skills (able to understand the questions of the questionnaires)
* People who gave their written consent to participate prior to involvement in the study

Exclusion Criteria:

* People without an employment at the examined bank headquarter
* People who are not able to use sit/stand workstations due to physical impairments
* People on educational or maternity leave

Primary outcomes:
measure: Changes in occupational sitting time
timeFrame: baseline, 12 months
measure: Changes in occupational standing time
timeFrame: baseline, 12 months
measure: Changes in the one year prevalence of neck pain
timeFrame: baseline, 12 months
measure: Changes in the one year prevalence of back pain
timeFrame: baseline, 12 months
measure: Changes in the average one year neck pain intensity (VAS)
timeFrame: baseline, 12 months
measure: Changes in the average one year back pain intensity (VAS)
timeFrame: baseline, 12 months
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Changes in occupational sitting time
timeFrame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months
measure: Changes in occupational standing time
timeFrame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months
measure: Changes in the average one year prevalence of shoulder pain
timeFrame: baseline, 12 months
measure: Changes in the average one year shoulder pain intensity (VAS)
timeFrame: baseline, 12 months
measure: Changes in the average one week prevalence of neck pain
timeFrame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
measure: Changes in the average one week prevalence of back pain
timeFrame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
measure: Changes in the average one week prevalence of shoulder pain
timeFrame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
measure: Changes in the average one week neck pain intensity (VAS)
timeFrame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
measure: Changes in the average one week back pain intensity (VAS)
timeFrame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
measure: Changes in the average one week shoulder pain intensity (VAS)
timeFrame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
measure: Changes in daily sitting time
timeFrame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
measure: Changes in weekly physical activity
timeFrame: baseline, 3 months, 6 months, 12 months
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Linz
country: Austria
facility: University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions Upper Austria
state: Upper Austria
Study officials:
affiliation: University of Applied Sciences for Health Professions Upper Austria
name: Bernhard Schwartz, MSc BSc
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
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