Acute Effects of Active and Passive Breaks in Office Workers

Investigation of the Acute Effects of Active and Passive Break Applications on Range of Motion, Neck Functionality, Pain and Fatigue Levels in Office Workers

The purpose of this study is to investigate the acute effects of active and passive break applications during work hours on cervical and shoulder range of motion (ROM), neck functionality, pain intensity, and fatigue levels among office workers. Participants are randomly assigned to either an Active Break Group, performing structured exercises, or a Control Group with passive rest over a 5-day protocol.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Office Workers
• Intervention / Treatment: Behavioral: Active Break Exercises

Detailed Description

Prolonged sitting and sustained static postures during computer use are significant occupational health hazards for office workers, frequently leading to cumulative mechanical loading, localized muscle fatigue, and functional impairments in the neck and shoulder regions. Continuous isometric muscle activity during desk work increases intramuscular pressure and reduces local circulation, which consequently decreases joint range of motion, restricts neck functionality, and elevates subjective fatigue levels. While traditional passive rest breaks (sitting quietly) are commonly utilized, they often fall short of mitigating these sedentary stress factors. In contrast, structured active rest breaks involving dynamic movement and stretching can trigger a "muscle pump" mechanism, enhance tissue oxygenation, lower viscoelastic stiffness, and systematically reduce fatigue and pain perceptions.

Although long-term exercise interventions are well-documented, clinical trials directly comparing the acute, immediate impacts of structured active breaks versus passive rest strategies on multi-dimensional outcomes remain limited. To address this methodological gap, this randomized controlled trial evaluates and compares the acute effects of active and passive break applications among office workers who work at a desk for at least 5 hours a day. Participants are randomly allocated into two parallel arms: the Active Break Group and the Control (Passive Break) Group. The intervention protocol spans a total of 5 working days, with both groups taking a 5-minute designated break every hour. The Active Break Group performs structured stretching and mobility exercises targeted at the cervical and shoulder regions under physiotherapist supervision, while the Control Group rests quietly at their workstations. Objective and subjective assessments are conducted at baseline and immediately following the 5-day protocol using cervical and shoulder range of motion (ROM) measurements via a goniometer, the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) for pain intensity, the Neck Disability Index (NDI) for neck functionality, and the Checklist Individual Strength (CIS-T) questionnaire to determine acute fatigue levels.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 40
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Seyedeh simin Ashraftalesh, BSc,PT; Phone Number: +90 5387782429; Email: siminashraf1377@gmail.com
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Gözde Başbuğ, PhD,PT; Email: gozdebasbug@aydin.edu.tr

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Hafez Taplux Group

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Being between 20 and 55 years of age
• Working at a desk while seated for at least 5 hours a day
• Not participating in high-intensity physical activity regularly
• Volunteering to participate in the study and providing informed consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of recent trauma or surgery directed at the cervical or thoracic regions
• Current state of pregnancy
• Diagnosis of diabetes or similar chronic systemic diseases
• Presence of any cognitive or physical limitation that could affect exercise performance or assessments

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Active Break Group; The active break intervention is performed for 5 minutes every hour during the workday for a total of 5 working days. Under the supervision of a physiotherapist, participants perform structured active rest breaks consisting of stretching and mobility exercises targeted at the cervical and shoulder regions. The protocol includes: cervical flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation stretches; upper trapezius stretching, pectoral stretching, posterior capsule stretching; shoulder shrugs, shoulder rolls, and scapular retraction exercises. Each exercise is performed either as a 15-second stretch or completed for 10 repetitions per session, always maintained within a safe and pain-free range of motion.	Behavioral: Active Break Exercises; The active break intervention is performed for 5 minutes every hour during the workday for a total of 5 working days. Under the supervision of a physiotherapist, participants perform structured active rest breaks consisting of stretching and mobility exercises targeted at the cervical and shoulder regions. The protocol includes: cervical flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation stretches; upper trapezius stretching, pectoral stretching, posterior capsule stretching; shoulder shrugs, shoulder rolls, and scapular retraction exercises. Each exercise is performed either as a 15-second stretch or completed for 10 repetitions per session, always maintained within a safe and pain-free range of motion.
No Intervention: Passive Break Group; The passive break group takes a 5-minute passive rest break every hour during the workday for a total of 5 working days. During these designated break periods, participants remain seated quietly and rest at their workstations. They do not perform any physical exercises, stretching routines, or structured active movements, maintaining their usual sedentary work routine during the breaks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Cervical Range of Motion	Cervical range of motion including flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation will be measured in degrees using a goniometer to assess active neck mobility. Higher values in degrees indicate better cervical joint mobility.	Baseline and post-intervention (at the end of 5 working days)

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Shoulder Range of Motion	Active shoulder range of motion (including flexion and abduction) will be measured in degrees using a goniometer to assess shoulder mobility. Higher values in degrees indicate better shoulder joint mobility.	Baseline and post-intervention (at the end of 5 working days)
Visual Analog Scale (VAS)	A 10-cm scale used to measure the subjective intensity of neck pain, where 0 indicates no pain and 10 indicates the worst possible pain.	Baseline and post-intervention (at the end of 5 working days)
Neck Disability Index (NDI)	A self-reported questionnaire with 10 items used to measure how neck pain affects functionality and daily life activities. Total scores range from 0 to 50, where higher scores indicate greater neck disability.	Baseline and post-intervention (at the end of 5 working days)
Checklist Individual Strength - Turkish Version (CIS-T)	A 20-item self-report questionnaire used to assess different aspects of fatigue, including subjective fatigue, concentration, motivation, and physical activity levels. Total scores range from 20 to 140, where higher scores indicate greater fatigue levels.	Baseline and post-intervention (at the end of 5 working days)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Istanbul Aydın University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Gözde Başbuğ, PhD,PT, Istanbul Aydın University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): June 15, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 22, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: June 10, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 10, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 15, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 15, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: June 10, 2026
• Last Verified: June 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Fatigue; Stretching; Occupational Health; Range of motion, Articular; Rest
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pathological Conditions, Signs and Symptoms; Signs and Symptoms; Fatigue
• Other Study ID Numbers: İAU-FTR-SSA-01

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