Feasibility and Preliminary Effects of a Tele-Education-Based Ergonomic and Hand Exercise Program in Office Workers

NCT07556081 | Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: IstanbulUC-FTR-BT-01
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 35
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

Many office workers spend long hours at desks, which can lead to hand and upper limb problems. These issues may reduce hand strength and affect daily activities and work performance. This study will evaluate whether an online ergonomic training and hand exercise program is practical and helpful for desk-based workers over four weeks. Researchers will measure hand grip strength and fine motor skills before and after the program to assess its potential benefits.

Conditions

Occupational Health

Keywords

Occupational Health; Ergonomics; Motor Skills; Hand Strength; telemedicine; upper extremity

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• hand grip strength

  Participants' hand grip strength was measured face-to-face using a digital hand dynamometer. Measurements were performed in accordance with the standard testing position recommended by the American Hand Therapy Association (AHTA) (Hamilton et al., 1992). Higher scores indicate greater grip strength.

  Baseline and Week 4

• Fine Motor Skills (Nine-Hole Peg Test)

  The Nine-Hole Peg Test (NHPT) was administered face-to-face to assess hand dexterity and fine motor performance. During the assessment, participants were seated at a table and instructed to pick up nine pegs from a container and place them into the holes as quickly as possible, in any order, and then remove them without interruption and return them to the container. Performance time was recorded in seconds using a stopwatch. The test was performed twice consecutively for each hand, and the average of the two trials for each hand was calculated. Shorter completion times indicate better fine motor skills (Oxford et al., 2003).

  Baseline and Week 4

Study Arms (1)

Tele-Education Ergonomic and Hand Exercise Intervention

EXPERIMENTAL

Participants will receive a four-week tele-education-based ergonomic training and hand exercise program. At the beginning of the program, ergonomic education will be delivered once to all participants through an online session. The intervention will include supervised online exercise sessions conducted by a physiotherapist twice per week, with each session lasting approximately 40 minutes, focusing on structured hand exercises. In addition to the supervised sessions, participants will be instructed to perform the exercises on other days as part of a home-based program. The program aims to support proper working posture and improve hand use during daily activities.

Behavioral: Tele-Education-Based Ergonomic Training and Hand Exercise Program

Interventions

Tele-Education-Based Ergonomic Training and Hand Exercise Program BEHAVIORAL

Participants will receive a four-week tele-education-based ergonomic training and hand exercise program. Ergonomic education will be provided once at the beginning of the program through an online session. The exercise program will include supervised sessions conducted by a physiotherapist twice per week, each lasting approximately 40 minutes, focusing on structured hand exercises. Participants will also be instructed to perform the exercises on other days as part of a home-based program. The intervention is designed to improve working posture and support hand function during daily activities.

Tele-Education Ergonomic and Hand Exercise Intervention

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years - 60 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64)

You may qualify if:

• Aged between 18 and 60 years
• Working at a desk for at least 5 hours per day
• Having no regular exercise habits
• Not having received prior training related to office ergonomics, hand dexterity, or grip strength
• Working in a desk-based job for at least 1 year
• Willing to participate and providing written informed consen

You may not qualify if:

• History of surgery involving the wrist or hand
• Diagnosis of a neurological disorder
• Inability to maintain regular participation during the training program

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa: lead

Study Sites (1)

Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Faculty of Health Sciences

Istanbul, Istanbul, 34104, Turkey (Türkiye)

RECRUITING

Related Publications (3)

• Seron P, Oliveros MJ, Gutierrez-Arias R, Fuentes-Aspe R, Torres-Castro RC, Merino-Osorio C, Nahuelhual P, Inostroza J, Jalil Y, Solano R, Marzuca-Nassr GN, Aguilera-Eguia R, Lavados-Romo P, Soto-Rodriguez FJ, Sabelle C, Villarroel-Silva G, Gomolan P, Huaiquilaf S, Sanchez P. Effectiveness of Telerehabilitation in Physical Therapy: A Rapid Overview. Phys Ther. 2021 Jun 1;101(6):pzab053. doi: 10.1093/ptj/pzab053.

  PMID: 33561280 BACKGROUND

• Shariat A, Cleland JA, Danaee M, Kargarfard M, Sangelaji B, Tamrin SBM. Effects of stretching exercise training and ergonomic modifications on musculoskeletal discomforts of office workers: a randomized controlled trial. Braz J Phys Ther. 2018 Mar-Apr;22(2):144-153. doi: 10.1016/j.bjpt.2017.09.003. Epub 2017 Sep 6.

  PMID: 28939263 BACKGROUND

• Greggi C, Visconti VV, Albanese M, Gasperini B, Chiavoghilefu A, Prezioso C, Persechino B, Iavicoli S, Gasbarra E, Iundusi R, Tarantino U. Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis. J Clin Med. 2024 Jul 6;13(13):3964. doi: 10.3390/jcm13133964.

  PMID: 38999528 BACKGROUND

Central Study Contacts

Busra Turk, PT, MSc

CONTACT

+905448744200; bsrgvn9@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: NA
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: SINGLE GROUP
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: PhD Student, Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 22, 2026
• First Posted: April 29, 2026
• Study Start: July 1, 2026
• Primary Completion: July 30, 2026
• Study Completion: August 1, 2026
• Last Updated: July 22, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-07

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)