Workstation Ergonomics Program at Al-Baha University (ERG-ABU)

February 1, 2026 updated by: Dr. Wael Alghamdi, Al-Baha University

Workstation Ergonomics Intervention to Reduce Musculoskeletal Symptoms Among University Employees

This study evaluates a workstation ergonomics program at Al-Baha University aimed at reducing work-related musculoskeletal symptoms among university employees who use computers regularly. The program includes an ergonomics self-assessment of the workstation, individualized guidance on proper workstation setup and posture, and practical recommendations to improve daily work habits. Participants will be followed for approximately four weeks, and changes in musculoskeletal symptoms and related outcomes will be assessed before and after the program, compared with a usual-practice control group.

Study Overview

Status

Not yet recruiting

Conditions

Intervention / Treatment

Detailed Description

This is a controlled, non-randomized pre-post study conducted among university employees at Al-Baha University. Eligible participants will be allocated to either an ergonomics intervention group or a usual-practice control group. The intervention consists of a structured workstation ergonomics package that includes: (1) completing a validated workstation self-assessment checklist, (2) receiving individualized feedback and practical recommendations to optimize workstation arrangement and working posture, and (3) brief reminders to support adherence during the follow-up period. Assessments will be performed at baseline and at the end of follow-up (approximately four weeks). The primary objective is to determine whether the ergonomics program is associated with improvement in musculoskeletal symptoms compared with the control condition under real-world workplace settings.

Study Type

Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

100

Phase

  • Not Applicable

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Adults aged 18-55 years.
  • Affiliated with Al-Baha University (staff, or faculty) and regularly use a computer workstation (≥3 hours/day or ≥15 hours/week).
  • Able to read and complete the online questionnaire and provide informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Current severe musculoskeletal disorder or recent major injury/surgery that markedly limits daily activities or requires ongoing medical treatment.
  • Diagnosed neurological or rheumatologic condition affecting the musculoskeletal system (e.g., severe radiculopathy, inflammatory arthritis).
  • Pregnancy (if you prefer to exclude it).
  • Participation in another ergonomics intervention program during the study period.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Prevention
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm
Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Ergonomics Program (Intervention)
Participants will receive an office-workstation ergonomics program including a self-assessment checklist-based evaluation and tailored recommendations for workstation adjustment and safe working posture, along with brief educational guidance and periodic follow-up reminders during the study period.
Behavioral: Workstation Ergonomics Program
Participants in the intervention arm will complete an online computer workstation self-assessment checklist. Based on their responses, they will receive individualized workstation ergonomics guidance and educational materials covering optimal sitting posture and workstation setup (chair/desk height, monitor position, keyboard/mouse placement, and lighting), as well as recommendations for regular micro-breaks and simple stretching. Guidance will be delivered electronically after baseline assessment, and participants will be encouraged to implement the recommendations throughout the follow-up period (4 weeks) with reinforcement reminders.
Other Names:
  • Ergonomics Education and Workstation Self-Assessment
Active Comparator: Usual Practice (Control)
Participants will continue their usual workstation practices during the study period and will not receive the ergonomics recommendations/education until after completion of follow-up assessment.
Behavioral: Usual Practice (Control)
Participants in the control arm will receive no ergonomics training, individualized recommendations, or educational materials during the study period and will continue their usual computer workstation practices. After completion of follow-up assessments, the control group will be offered the same ergonomics educational materials and general workstation guidance provided to the intervention arm.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in musculoskeletal symptoms (Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire [NMQ])
Time Frame: Baseline and 4 weeks.
Change from baseline in musculoskeletal symptom burden measured using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). The outcome will be calculated as the number of body regions with self-reported musculoskeletal symptoms (Yes/No) during the last 12 months, summed across assessed regions (range: 0 to 8, where 0 = no symptoms in any region and 8 = symptoms in all regions). Higher values indicate worse musculoskeletal symptoms. Outcomes will be compared between the intervention and control arms.
Baseline and 4 weeks.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Change in workstation ergonomics score (Computer Workstation Ergonomics: Self-Assessment Checklist)
Time Frame: Baseline and 4 weeks
Change from baseline in workstation ergonomics measured using the Computer Workstation Ergonomics: Self-Assessment Checklist. The outcome will be calculated as the total checklist score, summed across all items (range: 0 to 20), where higher scores indicate better workstation ergonomics (better setup). Outcomes will be compared between the intervention and control arms.
Baseline and 4 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Al-Baha University

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Estimated)

February 10, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

February 10, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

April 10, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

January 27, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

January 27, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

February 2, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

February 4, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

February 1, 2026

Last Verified

February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

  • 46120176/2025

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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