Active Pauses for Musculoskeletal Disorder Prevention in Workers

Prevention Program for Musculoskeletal Disorders Through Active Pauses for Workers in the Basque Country

The goal of this clinical trial is to learn if short exercise breaks at work can prevent muscle and joint pain in workers. The main questions it aims to answer are:

Do strength exercises help workers move better and feel less pain?

Are strength exercises better than stretching exercises for worker health?

Researchers will compare a strength exercise program to a mobility (stretching) program to see which one works better to improve physical health and work ability.

Participants will:

Perform short exercise breaks (5 minutes) at their workplace every day for 8 weeks.

Attend one supervised session per week to learn the exercises.

Complete simple physical tests (like standing up from a chair) and answer surveys about their health at the start and end of the study.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Occupational Diseases; Prevention; Sedentary Behaviors; Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Strength Active Pause; Behavioral: Mobility Active Pause

Detailed Description

This is a quasi-experimental study with parallel assignment. The study evaluates the effectiveness of active pauses (brief workplace exercise interventions) preventing musculoskeletal disorders. Recruitment and intervention are conducted in collaboration with "Recuperación Funcional Gurea S.Coop.Peq" at various companies in the Basque Country.

Group Allocation:

Participants are assigned to one of two groups based on their work center or worker preference to maximize participation and adherence in a real-world setting.

Interventions:

Both groups follow an 8-week program consisting of daily 5-minute sessions.

Experimental Arm (Strength): Participants perform high-intensity interval training based on resistance exercises. It involves 4 specific exercises targeting the shoulder, back, and legs using elastic bands or body weight. The intensity is monitored to reach a high level of effort.

Active Comparator Arm (Mobility): Participants perform a standard routine of 12 mobility and static stretching exercises. These are low-intensity movements designed to mobilize joints and relax muscles without inducing fatigue.

Assessments:

The Principal Investigator conducts assessments at three time points:

Baseline (Week 0): Before starting the program.

Post-Intervention (Week 8): Immediately after the 8-week program.

Follow-up (Week 20): 3 months after the intervention ends.

Outcomes:

The study measures functional capacity (30-second Sit-to-Stand test), isometric strength (handgrip and shoulder), and self-reported health using the "Senior Working Life Questionnaire" (pain intensity, work ability, and vitality).

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

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Iñigo Perez Garcia, PT; Phone Number: +34 946 01 35 11; Email: iperez197@ikasle.ehu.eus

Study Locations

• Spain
  • Biscay
    • Leioa, Biscay, Spain, 48940
      • Recruiting
      • Universidad del País Vasco (UPV/EHU)
      • Contact: Iñigo Perez Garcia, PT; Phone Number: +34 946 01 35 11; Email: iperez197@ikasle.ehu.eus
      • Sub-Investigator: Juan José Torres Unda

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Active workers.
• Aged 18 years or older.
• Capability to perform vigorous physical exercise.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Medical contraindications to physical exercise.
• Recent surgery.
• Pregnancy.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Experimental: Strength Training Program; Participants perform a strength-based active pause program (5 minutes). It consists of 4 exercises using body weight and elastic bands targeting shoulder, back, and legs. 1 supervised session/week plus daily autonomous practice for 8 weeks	Behavioral: Strength Active Pause; High-intensity interval training protocol using resistance exercises (elastic bands) performed at the workplace.
Active Comparator: Active Comparator: Mobility and Stretching Program; Participants perform a traditional mobility and stretching active pause program (5 minutes). It consists of 12 low-intensity exercises mobilizing main joints. 1 supervised session/week plus daily autonomous practice for 8 weeks.	Behavioral: Mobility Active Pause; Standard routine of articular mobility and static stretching exercises performed at the workplace.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
30-Second Sit-to-Stand Test	Participants must stand up and sit down as many times as possible from a chair during a 30-second period to assess lower body functional strength.	Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 8), and Follow-up (Week 20).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Handgrip Strength	Maximum force measured in kilograms using a manual dynamometer	Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 8), and Follow-up (Week 20)
Shoulder Abduction Strength	Maximum isometric strength measured with a dynamometer while performing shoulder abduction at 90 degrees	Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 8), and Follow-up (Week 20)
Intervention Adherence	Number of active pause sessions completed by the participant, recorded daily in a tracking sheet	Throughout the 8-week intervention period
Senior Working Life Questionnaire	A 24-item questionnaire assessing seven areas: sociodemographics, life and work satisfaction, physical activity at work, health and work ability, and musculoskeletal pain. Scores range from 0 to 100, where higher scores indicate a better outcome.	Baseline (Week 0), Post-intervention (Week 8), and Follow-up (Week 20)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: University of the Basque Country (UPV/EHU)

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): July 1, 2027
• Study Completion (Estimated): December 1, 2029

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 11, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 11, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): February 18, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): February 19, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 17, 2026
• Last Verified: February 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Stretching; Strength Training; Occupational Health; Active Pauses; Workplace Exercise
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Behavior; Musculoskeletal Diseases; Occupational Diseases; Sedentary Behavior
• Other Study ID Numbers: M10_2025_322

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No