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

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: Completed
• Conditions: Musculoskeletal Disorders; Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders; Occupational Musculoskeletal Disorders
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Workstation Ergonomics Program; Behavioral: Usual Practice (Control)

Detailed Description

This was a four-week, two-arm, parallel-group, open-label randomized controlled trial conducted among university employees at Al-Baha University. Eligible participants were randomized to either a workstation ergonomics intervention group or a usual-practice control group. Assessments were conducted at baseline and at the 4-week follow-up. The intervention consisted of a structured workstation ergonomics package including a computer workstation self-assessment checklist, individualized feedback and practical recommendations to optimize workstation arrangement and working posture, and brief reminders to support adherence during the follow-up period. The primary objective was to evaluate whether the ergonomics program reduced musculoskeletal symptom burden compared with usual practice in a real-world university workplace setting.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 150
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Saudi Arabia
  • Al Bahah, Saudi Arabia, 59865
    • Al-Baha University

Participation Criteria

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

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

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 number of painful body regions	Change from baseline to the 4-week follow-up in musculoskeletal symptom burden, operationalized as the number of body regions with self-reported musculoskeletal pain or symptoms during the previous 7 days, assessed using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Higher values indicate a greater musculoskeletal symptom burden. 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 ergonomic quality score	Change from baseline to the 4-week follow-up in workstation ergonomic quality, measured using a structured computer workstation ergonomics self-assessment checklist. Higher scores indicate better workstation ergonomic quality. Outcomes will be compared between the intervention and control arms.	Baseline and 4 weeks
Change in total musculoskeletal pain severity score	Change from baseline to the 4-week follow-up in total musculoskeletal pain severity, calculated by summing pain severity ratings across assessed body regions. Higher scores indicate greater overall pain severity. Outcomes will be compared between the intervention and control arms.	Baseline and 4 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Al-Baha University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): February 10, 2026
• Primary Completion (Actual): February 10, 2026
• Study Completion (Actual): 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): July 8, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: July 6, 2026
• Last Verified: July 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Musculoskeletal Diseases
• 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