Real-time Videoconference-based Exercise in Eldercare Workers

NCT05050526 | Completed

• 1 other identifier: Eldercare2021
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 130
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 2

Brief Summary

Formal caregiving of elderly dependent people is a both physically and psychologically demanding job, and both musculoskeletal and mental disorders with a negative impact in general health and quality of life are habitual among eldercare workers. Previous research has shown that physical exercise programs can reduce and/or prevent those disorders, consequently improving well-being at work. Online exercise interventions might be a cost-effective tool, as they can reach a large number of people at a relatively low cost. Moreover, they are compatible with situations in which interpersonal physical distancing is required, such as the current COVID-19 pandemic. However, real-time videoconference-based exercise interventions have not yet been studied in working populations. Thus, the aim of this study is to assess the effects of a real-time videoconference-based exercise intervention in eldercare workers. The primary outcome will be low back pain. Pain in neck, shoulders and wrists/hands will also be recorded, as well as additional measures of physical fitness, psychoaffective state, health and work-related variables. All outcomes will be measured at baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups.

Conditions

Pain; Mental Disorders

Keywords

Eldercare; Caregiver; Exercise; Tele-health; Musculoskeletal disorders; Mental disorders; Absenteeism; Work ability; Work performance

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (8)

• Change from baseline average pain intensity at 12 weeks

  Average pain intensity during the last 7 days in a Numerical Rating Scale for pain ranging from 0 (complete absence of pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

  At baseline and at 12-week follow-up

• Change from baseline average pain intensity at 48 weeks

  Average pain intensity during the last 7 days in a Numerical Rating Scale for pain ranging from 0 (complete absence of pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

  At baseline and at 48-week follow-up

• Change from baseline highest pain intensity at 12 weeks

  Highest pain intensity during the last 7 days in a Numerical Rating Scale for pain ranging from 0 (complete absence of pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

  At baseline and at 12-week follow-up

• Change from baseline highest pain intensity at 48 weeks

  Highest pain intensity during the last 7 days in a Numerical Rating Scale for pain ranging from 0 (complete absence of pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

  At baseline and at 48-week follow-up

• Change from baseline pain frequency at 12 weeks

  Number of days in pain during the last 7 days (0-7). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

  At baseline and at 12-week follow-up

• Change from baseline pain frequency at 48 weeks

  Number of days in pain during the last 7 days (0-7). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

  At baseline and at 48-week follow-up

• Change from baseline pain interference at 12 weeks

  Number of days in which pain negatively interferes with work during the last 7 days of work (0-7). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

  At baseline and at 12-week follow-up

• Change from baseline pain interference at 48 weeks

  Number of days in which pain negatively interferes with work during the last 7 days of work (0-7). This information will be collected for pain in the low back, neck, shoulders and wrists/hands.

  At baseline and at 48-week follow-up

Secondary Outcomes (14)

• Analgesic medication consumption frequency

  At baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

• 5-repetition sit-to-stand test

  At baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

• Kneeling push-up test

  At baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

• Shirado-Ito trunk flexor endurance test

  At baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

• Subjective Happiness scale

  At baseline and at 12-week and 48-week follow-ups

Study Arms (2)

Exercise program

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in the experimental group will take part in a 12-week exercise program.

Behavioral: Real-time videoconference-based Exercise program

Control

NO INTERVENTION

Participants in the control group will not receive any intervention.

Interventions

Real-time videoconference-based Exercise program BEHAVIORAL

12-week exercise program consisting of two weekly 45 minute group-based sessions, remotely supervised by a professional via real-time videoconference. Each session will consist of a warm-up (5-10 min), general strengthening (30 min) and cool-down (5-10 min). Warm-up will include general joint mobility and exercises focused on increasing heart rate. General strengthening will include 4 series of 6 exercises (2 for lower limb, 2 for upper limb and 2 for the trunk) performed with minimal equipment, combining body-weight and elastic-band exercises. Three difficulty levels will be set for each of the exercises, and progression will be made at weeks 5 and 9. Participants will be asked to work in a given rate of perceived exertion (between 3 and 5 in Borg's CR10 scale) and not to reach failure in any of the exercises. Cool-down will include stretching and breathing/relaxing exercises.

Exercise program

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• Professional eldercare workers with ≥3 months of experience in the profession
• Employment contract at least until the anticipated date of study end

You may not qualify if:

• Pregnancy
• Contraindication to exercise according to the American College of Sports Medicine Guidelines

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Ander Espin: lead
• Caser Residencial Betharram: collaborator
• Fundación Aspaldiko: collaborator
• Grupo Servicios Sociales Integrados: collaborator
• Igurco Residencias Sociosanitarias: collaborator
• Grupo Colisée: collaborator

Study Sites (2)

Residencia Aspaldiko

Portugalete, Bizkaia, 48920, Spain

Location

Caser Residencial Betharram

Hondarribia, Gipuzkoa, 20280, Spain

Location

Related Publications (4)

• Espin A, Irazusta J, Segovia Celaya I, Mosquera Lajas A, Gonzalez-Templado V, Rodriguez-Larrad A. Effects of a videoconference-based therapeutic exercise intervention on the musculoskeletal pain of eldercare workers: protocol for the ReViEEW randomized controlled trial. BMC Musculoskelet Disord. 2023 Jun 6;24(1):463. doi: 10.1186/s12891-023-06584-7.

  PMID: 37280584 BACKGROUND

• Espin A, Irazusta J, Aiestaran M, Latorre Erezuma U, Garcia-Garcia J, Arrinda I, Acedo K, Rodriguez-Larrad A. Videoconference-Supervised Group Exercise Reduces Low Back Pain in Eldercare Workers: Results from the ReViEEW Randomised Controlled Trial. J Occup Rehabil. 2025 Mar;35(1):66-77. doi: 10.1007/s10926-024-10182-2. Epub 2024 Apr 17.

  PMID: 38632115 RESULT

• Espin A, Rodriguez-Larrad A, Ruiz-Fernandez A, Martin-Perez A, Fernandez-Gutierrez N, Andersen LL, Irazusta J. Predictors of response to physical exercise for low back pain: a secondary analysis of the ReViEEW trial. Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2026 Feb;81:103465. doi: 10.1016/j.msksp.2025.103465. Epub 2025 Dec 3.

  PMID: 41353795 DERIVED

• Espin A, Irazusta J, Urquiza M, Ruiz-Fernandez A, Latorre Erezuma U, Collado Torres L, Andersen LL, Rodriguez-Larrad A. Videoconference-Supervised Exercise for Low Back Pain in Eldercare Workers: One-Year Follow-up of the ReViEEW Randomized Controlled Trial. J Occup Environ Med. 2025 Oct 1;67(10):e720-e728. doi: 10.1097/JOM.0000000000003474. Epub 2025 Jun 2.

  PMID: 40561221 DERIVED

Related Links

• Link to study protocol published in BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Link to study 12-week results in the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Pain; Mental Disorders; Motor Activity; Musculoskeletal Diseases

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Behavior

Study Officials

• Ander Espin, PhD Student

  University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: DOUBLE
• Who Masked: INVESTIGATOR, OUTCOMES ASSESSOR
• Masking Details: The investigators in charge of doing the statistical analysis and assessing the outcome measures (e.g., physical performance tests) will be blinded to group allocation. Due to the characteristics of the study, blinding of the participants (i.e., eldercare workers) and the care provider (i.e., professional conducting the exercise sessions) to the group allocation is not possible.
• Purpose: SUPPORTIVE CARE
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Predoctoral Researcher

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: September 9, 2021
• First Posted: September 20, 2021
• Study Start: October 1, 2021
• Primary Completion: April 30, 2024
• Study Completion: April 30, 2024
• Last Updated: May 24, 2024

Record last verified: 2024-05

Locations

ES (2)