Clinical trial NCT04198675: Effects of Preventive Physiotherapy Practices on Posture and Work-Related Functions in Office Workers
Official title: Effects of Preventive Physiotherapy Practices on Forward Head Posture and Upper Extremity Work-Related Functions in Office Workers
Study type: INTERVENTIONAL
Overall status: COMPLETED
Phase: NA
Conditions: Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders
Office Workers
Keywords: Surface Electromyography
Biofeedback
Forward Head Posture
Posture
Trapezius Muscle
Task- specific Performance
Exercise
Office Worker
Lead sponsor: Marmara University
Sponsor class: OTHER
First posted: 2019-12-13
Enrollment: 30
Sex: ALL
Minimum age (years): 22
Maximum age (years): 40
Standard ages: ADULT
Accepts healthy volunteers: yes
Allocation: RANDOMIZED
Intervention model: PARALLEL
Intervention model description: Group 1: Supervised EMG Biofeedback Exercise Training Group; Posture training will be provided before intervention and ergonomic arrangements will be made in the workplace. Three sessions per week and six weeks of EMG biofeedback training will be carried out with electromyography-controlled video game combined with Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) exercises.

Group 2: Home-Based Exercise Training Group; Posture training will be provided before interventions and ergonomic arrangements will be made in the workplace. Posture correction exercises, contains strengthening, stretching, mobility and relaxation exercises, will be given as a home exercises program for 6 weeks.

Group 3: Posture Training/Ergonomic Regulations Group Posture training will be provided before interventions and ergonomic arrangements will be made in the workplace.
Primary purpose: PREVENTION

Brief summary: In this study; aimed to determine an individual-centered, effective physiotherapy method to reduce the negative impacts of the forward head posture on work-related functions and to increase body awareness and functionality among office workers. In addition, aimed to reduce the loss of work with measures to improve the quality and efficiency of work.

Detailed description: The purpose of this study is to determine the effects of preventive physiotherapy practices on work related musculoskeletal disorders in office workers.

With this purpose, in this study; aimed to achieve improvement on forward head posture, upper extremity functions and cervical pain reduction through three interventions (supervised EMG biofeedback exercise training, home-based exercise program and posture training/ergonomic regulations). Work related changes in muscle activation of Upper Trapezius and posture will be evaluated while working on a computer task in actual work environment. Differences in posture and muscle activation between computer task and resting position, will be determined before and after the intervention.

Eligibility criteria: Inclusion Criteria:

* Age below 40, Full-time and regular employees in the last 1 year,
* Office workers using computers at desk for at least 3 hours per day
* According to RULA, working in a posture that above acceptable level,
* No trauma history
* Non-specific neck pain but no chronic conditions of cervical spine and upper extremity

Exclusion Criteria:

* During the study; need of receiving a treatment/ interventions for the upper body due to trauma or any other conditions is concluded with withdraw from the study

Primary outcomes:
measure: Maximal Voluntary Isometric Contraction (MVIC)
timeFrame: 10 minutes
measure: Muscle Activation of Upper Trapezius
timeFrame: 30 minutes
measure: Cervical Range of Motion (CROM) / Forward Head Posture
timeFrame: 10 minutes
Secondary outcomes:
measure: Constant-Murley Score (CMS)
timeFrame: 10 minutes
measure: Rapid Upper Limb Assessment (RULA)
timeFrame: 10 minutes
measure: The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score (DASH)
timeFrame: 10 minutes
measure: The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand Score Work Module (DASH-W)
timeFrame: 2 minutes
measure: Neck Disability Index (NDI)
timeFrame: 10 minutes
measure: Neck Pain and Disability Scale (NPAD)
timeFrame: 10 minutes
Other outcomes:
Locations:
city: Maltepe
country: Turkey
facility: Marmara University Faculty of Health Sciences
state: Istanbul
Study officials:
affiliation: Marmara University
name: Nilufer Keskin Dilbay, PT, MSc
role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR
affiliation: Hacettepe University
name: Zafer Erden, PT PhD Prof.
role: STUDY_DIRECTOR
References: