Workplace Exercises Versus Home-based Exercises on Pain and Function Among Office Workers With Non-specific Low Back Pain

NCT ID: NCT07297680

Last Updated: 2025-12-22

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Clinical Phase: NA
• Total Enrollment: 57 participants
• Study Classification: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2025-06-01
• Study Completion Date: 2025-10-01

Brief Summary

The study was done to investigate the differences between workplace exercises and home-based exercises on pain, function, quality of life, and posture (pelvic inclination angle and lumbar lordotic angle) among office workers with non-specific low back pain

Detailed Description

Low back pain is the most common musculoskeletal disorder among office workers and a leading cause of disability, affecting psychological well-being and quality of life. Approximately 85% to 95% of cases are categorized as non-specific, with chronic low back pain presenting when symptoms last over 12 weeks. Office workers, who often engage in sedentary tasks, face increased risks of low back pain linked to factors such as physical attributes and psychological stressors like mental fatigue and anxiety. It is suggested that people with low back pain exercise, but there is still debate about whether exercise at work is better than exercise at home. This gap in understanding drives the need for a randomized controlled trial to assess the impact of both interventions on pain, function, quality of life, and posture in office workers with non-specific low back pain

Conditions

Low Back Pain; Pain; Function; Office Worker; Workplace Exercise; Home Bases Exercise

Study Design

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

Study Groups

workplace exercise

Consists of 20 office workers with non-specific low back pain who will receive workplace exercise intervention, 5 times per week for 4 weeks

Group Type: EXPERIMENTAL

Workplace exercise intervention

Intervention Type: OTHER

The program's basic exercise equipment includes a stable chair (no wheels or armrests) that provides better lumbar spine support, adjustable for participant height to ensure flat feet on the floor with a 90° knee angle. Additional portable equipment consists of a rhythmic gymnastics ball (16.5 cm diameter, 320 g weight), silicone hand therapy balls (5.6 cm length, 4.2 cm width, medium resistance), and an exercise band (1.5 m long, available in medium/light and heavy resistance).

home program exercises

Home program exercises will be provided three times a week for four weeks, comprising three sets of ten repetitions each. Exercises will target the back, shoulders, and arms using elastic tubing, including reverse flys, shoulder raises, shoulder squeezes, shoulder rotations, wrist extensions, wood choppers, pelvic tilt, quadruped leg/arm raises, side planks, and lean and turns.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

Home-based exercise intervention

Intervention Type: OTHER

An elastic exercise band will be used. an exercise band (1.5 m long, available in medium/light and heavy resistance).

general education and counseling

Individuals will receive education and counseling on managing pain and function. They should avoid prolonged sitting, moving every 20-30 minutes, and practicing good posture while seated, standing, and walking. Key sitting posture includes keeping feet flat, knees at a 90-degree angle, and maintaining a straight back with proper lumbar support to prevent slouching.

Group Type: ACTIVE_COMPARATOR

general education and counseling

Intervention Type: OTHER

Will receive general education and counseling regarding pain and function. They will be advised to avoid prolonged sitting. Get up and move around every 20-30 minutes. In addition, to practice good posture while sitting, standing, and walking. When sitting, keep your feet flat on the floor, knees bent at a 90-degree angle, and your back straight with good lumbar support. Furthermore, to avoid slouching or hunching over their desk

Interventions

Workplace exercise intervention

The program's basic exercise equipment includes a stable chair (no wheels or armrests) that provides better lumbar spine support, adjustable for participant height to ensure flat feet on the floor with a 90° knee angle. Additional portable equipment consists of a rhythmic gymnastics ball (16.5 cm diameter, 320 g weight), silicone hand therapy balls (5.6 cm length, 4.2 cm width, medium resistance), and an exercise band (1.5 m long, available in medium/light and heavy resistance).

Intervention Type: OTHER

Home-based exercise intervention

An elastic exercise band will be used. an exercise band (1.5 m long, available in medium/light and heavy resistance).

Intervention Type: OTHER

general education and counseling

Will receive general education and counseling regarding pain and function. They will be advised to avoid prolonged sitting. Get up and move around every 20-30 minutes. In addition, to practice good posture while sitting, standing, and walking. When sitting, keep your feet flat on the floor, knees bent at a 90-degree angle, and your back straight with good lumbar support. Furthermore, to avoid slouching or hunching over their desk

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

1. Forty-eight patients with non-specific low back pain of both genders; their ages will range from 25 to 40 years old.

2. Three years of experience at least

3. Eight to ten hours of daily work, at least.

4. Work for 5 days per week.

5. Reported pain intensity from 3 to 7 on a visual analogue scale.

6. Office Workers with body mass index (25 - 29.9 kg/m².

7. Low physical activity levels according to the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (short form).

Exclusion Criteria

1. Spine pathology.

2. Back surgical operations.

3. Congenital anomalies.

4. Cardiopulmonary and neurological diseases

5. Pregnancy.

6. Postural deformities.

7. Inflammatory diseases.

• Minimum Eligible Age: 25 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 40 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Sponsors

Cairo University

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Heba Allah Ahmed Gaber Abd El Tawab

principal investigator

Responsibility Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

Locations

out-patient clinic, faculty of physical therapy, Cairo university

Cairo, , Egypt

Countries

Egypt

Other Identifiers

Heba-Msc

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id