Preventive Intervention in Nursery School Teachers

NCT ID: NCT00783562

Last Updated: 2008-10-31

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: PHASE1
• Total Enrollment: 71 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2007-10-31
• Study Completion Date: 2007-12-31

Brief Summary

Childcare in nursery schools has been shown to be associated with an elevated prevalence of neck, shoulder, arm and low back disorders. The current evidence suggests that exercises seem to be the only effective preventive intervention. Thus the purpose of this study is to determine the effectiveness of an extension-oriented exercise program in preventing low back/neck pain and functional disability in nursery school teachers. In addition, the investigators also sought to identify the occurrence of musculoskeletal complaints in this category of workers.

Detailed Description

Seventy-one nursery school teachers working in nine school buildings were randomly divided into two groups, with each school as a unit of randomization. All the teachers in both groups received an ergonomic brochure; teachers in the experimental group also received an extension-oriented exercise program, conducted by a physical therapist. Data were collected at baseline and at a two-month follow-up. The primary outcome measure recorded was the level of disability (Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire and Oswestry Disability Index), while secondary outcome measures included LBP and neck pain presence (Pain Drawing) and intensity (Visual Analogue Scale). At follow-up, a significant improvement was registered in the experimental group for all the outcomes evaluated. In conclusion a six-session extension-oriented exercise program proved decisive in preventing low back and neck complaints and in reducing consequent LBP functional disability among nursery school teachers.

Conditions

Low Back Pain; Neck Pain

Keywords

Low back pain; Neck pain; Functional disability; Nursery school teachers; Exercise program; Prevention

Study Design

• Allocation Method: RANDOMIZED
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Primary Study Purpose: PREVENTION
• Blinding Strategy: SINGLE

Study Groups

1

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Extension-oriented exercise program

Intervention Type: OTHER

The exercise program was composed of six graded sessions, two per week for three consecutive weeks. Sessions, each of one hour length, were conducted after the working hours in a wide room of the nursery school, gathering together all the teachers from each school. The exercises were selected in order to reinforce lumbar extension and to strengthen the primary stabilizers of the spine (transversus abdominis, oblique abdominal, multifidus, quadratus lumborum and erector spinae muscles)

Informative Brochure

Intervention Type: OTHER

The brochure showed the correct way to lift loads, and provided ergonomic suggestions to prevent musculoskeletal complaints, according to the Italian legislation

2

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Informative Brochure

Intervention Type: OTHER

The brochure showed the correct way to lift loads, and provided ergonomic suggestions to prevent musculoskeletal complaints, according to the Italian legislation

Interventions

Extension-oriented exercise program

The exercise program was composed of six graded sessions, two per week for three consecutive weeks. Sessions, each of one hour length, were conducted after the working hours in a wide room of the nursery school, gathering together all the teachers from each school. The exercises were selected in order to reinforce lumbar extension and to strengthen the primary stabilizers of the spine (transversus abdominis, oblique abdominal, multifidus, quadratus lumborum and erector spinae muscles)

Intervention Type: OTHER

Informative Brochure

The brochure showed the correct way to lift loads, and provided ergonomic suggestions to prevent musculoskeletal complaints, according to the Italian legislation

Intervention Type: OTHER

Other Intervention Names

EOTA; Educational; Informative Pamphlet

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

The study population was composed by all the 71 nursery school teachers, employed at the town hall of Forlì, that worked in nine different school buildings similar in size and furniture. As provided for by the Italian law (Emilia-Romagna Regional Law No. 1 of January 10, 2000 - art. 32, followed by the Directive of July 25, 2001), teachers had the same working schedule and the same workload in terms of teacher/children ratio depending on children age.

Exclusion Criteria

• medical history of serious injury
• spinal surgery
• malignant pathology

• Minimum Eligible Age: 18 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 70 Years
• Eligible Sex: FEMALE
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

University of Bologna

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

University of Bologna

Principal Investigators

Paolo Pillastrini, MSc

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University of Bologna

Locations

University of Bologna

Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Countries

Italy

References

Browder DA, Childs JD, Cleland JA, Fritz JM. Effectiveness of an extension-oriented treatment approach in a subgroup of subjects with low back pain: a randomized clinical trial. Phys Ther. 2007 Dec;87(12):1608-18; discussion 1577-9. doi: 10.2522/ptj.20060297. Epub 2007 Sep 25.

Reference Type: RESULT

PMID: 17895350 (View on PubMed)

Grant KA, Habes DJ, Tepper AL. Work activities and musculoskeletal complaints among preschool workers. Appl Ergon. 1995 Dec;26(6):405-10. doi: 10.1016/0003-6870(95)00057-7.

Reference Type: RESULT

PMID: 15677041 (View on PubMed)

Brown MZ, Gerberich SG. Disabling injuries to childcare workers in Minnesota, 1985 to 1990. An analysis of potential risk factors. J Occup Med. 1993 Dec;35(12):1236-43.

Reference Type: RESULT

PMID: 8113928 (View on PubMed)

Other Identifiers

PP001032008

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id