Office Program Effects on Pain, Posture, Muscle Physiology, Stress, Ergonomics, and Quality of Life in LBP Workers

NCT07250568 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: UTMara-OWP-LBP2025
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This interventional study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of an office worker's program in reducing low back pain and improving physical and psychosocial outcomes among office employees. The primary objective is to determine the effects of the intervention on pain, lumbar posture, muscle physiology (including core stability, flexibility, fatigue, and endurance), ergonomics, stress levels, and quality of life across different intervention groups. Participants will be assigned to one of three groups: Group 1: Exercise program, posture education, and standing advice Group 2: Posture education and standing advice Group 3: standing advice only The study will compare outcomes between groups to identify which combination of interventions provides the greatest benefits for office workers with a tendency to experience low back pain.

Conditions

Low Back Pain

Keywords

Low back pain; Office Workers; Ergonomics; Exercise Intervention; Posture Education

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Numeric Rating Scale for pain

  Pain intensity will be assessed using the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS), an 11-point scale from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst possible pain). Participants will rate their average low back pain at baseline and after the 12-week intervention. Changes in NRS scores will be compared across groups.

  Baseline and Week 12

Secondary Outcomes (8)

• Flexible curve to measure Lumbar posture

  Baseline and Week 12

• Sphygmomanometer Pressure Test to measure Core Stability

  Baseline and Week 12

• Short Form-36 (SF-36) to measure quality of life

  Baseline and Week 12

• Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) to measure stress

  Baseline and Week 12

• Rapid Office Strain Assessment (ROSA) to measure ergonomics

  Baseline and Week 12

Study Arms (3)

Exercise Group

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants in this arm will receive a structured exercise program supervised by a physiotherapist, combined with posture education using an illustrated poster and regular standing advice. The exercise program consists of progressive abdominal and lumbar strengthening exercises performed 3 times per week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 20 minutes.

Behavioral: Exercise; Behavioral: Education; Behavioral: Advice

Education Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in this arm will receive posture education supported by an illustrated poster and regular standing advice. No exercise program will be provided to this group.

Behavioral: Education; Behavioral: Advice

Control Group

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Participants in this arm will receive standing advice only, without exercise intervention or posture education materials.

Behavioral: Advice

Interventions

Exercise BEHAVIORAL

Exercise Program: A structured physiotherapist-supervised exercise program designed to improve core stability, lumbar strength, flexibility, and endurance. The program includes progressive abdominal and lumbar muscle strengthening exercises performed three times per week for 12 weeks, with each session lasting approximately 20 minutes. Exercises gradually increase in intensity based on participant tolerance and progression criteria.

Exercise Group

Education BEHAVIORAL

An educational ergonomic intervention delivered using an illustrated posture guidance poster. Participants receive instruction on proper sitting posture, workstation alignment, neutral spine position, and strategies to reduce lumbar strain during daily office activities. Education is delivered at baseline with follow-up reminders throughout the 12-week study period.

Also known as: Poster Education

Education Group; Exercise Group

Advice BEHAVIORAL

A behavioral intervention in which participants are advised to take regular standing breaks to reduce prolonged sitting. Participants are instructed to stand for short intervals periodically during working hours, supported by scheduled reminders. No exercise or posture education materials are included in this intervention.

Control Group; Education Group; Exercise Group

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 58 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: No
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Identified LBP
• Age between 18 - 60 years old
• In the office, working in front computer/laptop minimum along 4 hours per day
• Able to ambulate independently with or without walking aids
• Controlled comorbidity e.g. DM, HPT, managed asthma and controlled thyroid conditions

You may not qualify if:

• Recumbent
• Cancer, spinal fracture, neurological disorder (stroke, PBI and soon)
• Participation in a current fitness program designed to prevent LBP recurrence
• Spinal operation within the last six months
• Pregnant
• Medication (steroid therapy, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, muscle relaxants, antidepressants or anxiolytics)
• Insufficient to finish outcome measurements and exercise program
• Participants who do not attend 3 consecutive weeks or 8 consecutive times

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Suci Wahyu Ismiyasa: lead
• Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta University: collaborator

Study Sites (1)

Universitas Pembangunan Nasional Veteran Jakarta

Depok, West Java, 16514, Indonesia

RECRUITING

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Low Back Pain

Interventions

Exercise; Educational Status; Counseling

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Back Pain; Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Signs and Symptoms; Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Socioeconomic Factors; Population Characteristics; Mental Health Services; Behavioral Disciplines and Activities; Community Health Services; Health Services; Health Care Facilities Workforce and Services

Study Officials

• Suci Wahyu Ismiyasa, M.Erg

  Universiti Teknologi Mara

  PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

• Zarina Zahari, PhD

  Universiti Teknologi Mara

  STUDY DIRECTOR

Central Study Contacts

Suci Wahyu Ismiyasa

CONTACT

+6285219163441; suciwahyuismiyasa@gmail.com

Zarina Zahari, PhD

CONTACT

+6013204170; zarinazahari@uitm.edu.my

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Masking Details: No masking was performed. The study is open-label, and neither participants nor investigators were blinded to group assignment due to the nature of the intervention.
• Purpose: TREATMENT
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Supervisor: Zarina Zahari, PhD, University Teknologi MARA; Principal Investigator: Suci Wahyu Ismiyasa, M.Erg

Model Details: Participants will be randomly assigned into three parallel intervention groups that differ in the components of the office worker's program they receive. The three groups will run concurrently throughout the study period. Exercise group will receive a combined intervention consisting of an exercise program, posture education, and standing advice. Education group will receive posture education and a standing advice. Control Group will receive only the standing advice as a minimal intervention control. Each participant remains in their assigned group for the duration of the study, and outcomes will be compared across groups to evaluate the relative effectiveness of each intervention combination.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: November 16, 2025
• First Posted: November 26, 2025
• Study Start: March 23, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 17, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026
• Last Updated: November 26, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-11

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

ID (1)