The effects of active break and postural shift interventions on recovery from and recurrence of neck and low back pain in office workers: A 3-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial

To investigate the efficacy of active break and postural shift interventions aimed to reduce sitting discomfort on recovery duration and recurrence of neck and low back pain among high-risk office workers. A 3-arm cluster-randomized controlled trial with 12-month follow-up was conducted in 193 healthy but high-risk office workers. Participants in the intervention groups received custom-designed apparatus to facilitate either active breaks or postural shifts to reduce sitting discomfort at work. Participants in a control group received a placebo seat pad. Incidence of neck and low back pain with pain intensity and disability level was recorded monthly. Main outcome measures were recovery time and recurrent rate of neck and low back pain. Analyses were performed using log rank test and Cox proportional hazard models. Median time to recovery in those receiving active break and postural shift interventions (1 month) was significantly shorter than those in the control group (2 months). Neck and low back pain recurrent rates for the active break, postural shift, and control groups were 21%, 18%, and 44%, respectively. Hazard rate (HR) ratios after adjusting for biopsychosocial factors indicated a protective effect of active break and postural shift interventions for neck and low back pain recurrence (HRadj 0.22, 95% CI 0.06–0.83 for active breaks and HRadj 0.35, 95% CI 0.16–0.77 for postural shift). Active break and postural shift interventions shortened recovery time and reduced recurrence of neck and low back pain among high-risk office workers. •The efficacy of active breaks and postural shifts in office workers were studied.•Recovery time in those receiving interventions was shorter than the control group.•A protective effect of interventions for neck and low back pain recurrence was found.