NCT06455774

The Wearable Postural Feedback Devices Combined With Exercise in Office Workers With Chronic Neck Pain

The Effect of Wearable Postural Feedback Devices Added to the Exercise Approach on Neck Pain and Proprioception in Office Workers With Nonspecific Chronic Neck Pain

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 52 (actual)
• Sponsor: Istanbul University - Cerrahpasa · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 25 Years – 55 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The goal of this clinical trial is to investigate the effects of wearable postural feedback devices added to exercise approach on neck pain and proprioception in office workers with nonspecific chronic neck pain. H0: The effects of wearable postural feedback devices added to exercise and exercise approach on neck pain and proprioception are similar in office workers with nonspecific chronic neck pain. H1: The effects of wearable postural feedback devices added to exercise and exercise approach on neck pain and proprioception are different in office workers with nonspecific chronic neck pain. 58 office workers aged 25-55 years with nonspecific chronic neck pain will be included and divided into 2 groups, physiotherapy programs will be applied for 8 weeks, 3 days a week. All participants will be trained on office ergonomics and proper sitting posture at the beginning of the study. Group 1: Exercise and Postural feedback, Group 2: Exercise. Sociodemographic information will be questioned, pain, neck proprioception, craniovertebral angle, neck muscle strength, endurance and range of motion will be assessed. Neck disability index, physical activity level, stress perception level, fatigue level, work performance and patient satisfaction will also be evaluated at baseline and 8 weeks.

Detailed description

Treatment of work-related musculoskeletal disorders can be challenging due to multiple underlying risk factors like physical workload, poor posture, altered sensorimotor control, biopsychosocial conditions. When the information provided by the individual's own sensory system is insufficient, the use of extrinsic feedback has been proposed as an option to reduce sensorimotor discomfort and thus improve movement control. Due to the progress in miniaturization technology of the microelectromechanical system, postural feedback devices have been developed. Recent studies have used different feedback methods to improve posture. Studies have compared the effectiveness of different types of feedback, active exercise and passive therapy. However, there is a need for studies examining the effects of adding postural feedback to different intervention strategies in the office environment. Small, lightweight and easy to wear feedback devices can be expected to provide positive effects on neck pain and proprioception in addition to classical exercises by providing real-time feedback to the user during daily activities.

Conditions

• Neck Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
DEVICE	Wearable Postural Feedback Device	The postural feedback wearable device we will use in the study is programmed to vibrate when hunched postures are detected (based on changes in the curvature and curvature of the spine), alerting users to changes in their body position.
OTHER	Exercise	Trapezius, Sternocleidomastoid (SCM), Scalene, pectoral muscles will be targeted for stretching exercises and deep neck flexors, Trapezius, Levator Scapula, Rhomboids will be targeted for strengthening exercises. The intensity of the exercises will be increased according to the weeks. Stretching exercises will be performed as a single set at the pain limit, maintaining the position of the muscle groups in the longest tolerable position for 30 seconds. In strengthening exercises, participants will hold the position for 5-10 seconds at the end of the movement. Moderate resistance elastic bands and free weights will be used for resistance exercises. In the following weeks, progression will be made in all exercises according to the patient's condition.

Timeline

• Start date: 2024-11-01
• Primary completion: 2025-11-30
• Completion: 2025-11-30
• First posted: 2024-06-12
• Last updated: 2026-04-02

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Turkey (Türkiye)