Effectiveness of Ergonomic Intervention

University of Bologna

Status and phase: Completed; Phase 4

Conditions: Lower Extremity; Upper Extremity; Neck Pain; Low Back Pain

Treatments: Other: Ergonomic Intervention

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00791596

PP001012008

Details and patient eligibility

About

This Research study aims to investigate the long term effectiveness of a workstation ergonomic intervention for work-related posture and low back pain (LBP) of Video Display Terminal (VDT) workers

Full description

A non-randomized, crossover trial design was used with follow-up repeated 6, 12, and 30 months from baseline in the first intervention period and then beginning at 6 months following the crossover.

The administrative offices in the two main buildings of the town hall of Forlì, Italy.

The study population was composed of 400 employees, who used VDTs for at least 20 hours a week, of whom we randomly selected 100 participants from each building. Of the 200 initial participants, 153 completed the study; the dropouts were due to illness/injury or maternity.

Participants were assigned to intervention or control during the first period and then crossed over after a 30-month washout. The intervention used in this investigation was an ergonomic adjustment of the VDT workstation design.

Our study showed that the workstation ergonomic adjustment improved work-related posture and in reducing LBP in VDT operators among subjects who received the intervention both in the first period and in the crossover, and maintained these positive effects for at least 30 months.

Enrollment: 200 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 70 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• The study population was composed of 400 employees, who used VDTs for at least 20 hours a week

Exclusion criteria

• Subjects were excluded if pregnant or had a medical history of serious injury, spinal surgery, malignant pathology, or severe disability

Trial design

Primary purpose: Prevention

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Crossover Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

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200 participants in 2 patient groups

1

Experimental group

Description:

The first Arm received the intervention between baseline and the first follow-up, whereas the second Arm was the Control group

Treatment:

Other: Ergonomic Intervention

2

Experimental group

Description:

The second Arm received the intervention between the third and the fourth follow-up, whereas the first Arm was the Control group

Treatment:

Other: Ergonomic Intervention