Work-Related Musculoskeletal DisordersERG-ABUNCT07382466
Workstation Ergonomics Program at Al-Baha University
A study testing Workstation Ergonomics Program in people with Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Musculoskeletal Disorders, run by Al-Baha University at 1 site in Saudi Arabia.
Trial summary
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. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 55 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Occupational Musculoskeletal Disorders
- What is being tested?
- Workstation Ergonomics Program
- Type of treatment
- Lifestyle or therapy programme
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 150 participants
- Where
- 1 siteSaudi Arabia
- Study dates
- 10 Feb 2026to 10 Apr 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 55 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- 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.
Who cannot join
- 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.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: 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.
Read the 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.
- Conditions
- Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Occupational Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Being tested
- Workstation Ergonomics Program, Usual Practice (Control)
- Medical subject headings
- Musculoskeletal Diseases
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Workstation Ergonomics ProgramBehavioural
Also called Ergonomics Education and Workstation Self-Assessment
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.
Usual Practice (Control)Behavioural
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.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Ergonomics Program (Intervention) | Experimental | 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. Receives: Behavioral: Workstation Ergonomics Program |
| Usual Practice (Control) | Active comparator | 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. Receives: Behavioral: Usual Practice (Control) |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
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.
Measured: Baseline and 4 weeks.
Secondary outcomes (2)
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.
Measured: 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.
Measured: Baseline and 4 weeks
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted2 Feb 2026
- Study start10 Feb 2026
- Primary completion10 Feb 2026
- Study completion10 Apr 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Work-Related Musculoskeletal DisordersStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Model description
- Two-arm parallel-group study (intervention vs control) with pre-post assessments.
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Al-Baha University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Dr. Wael Alghamdi, Al-Baha University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07382466
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 46120176/2025
- Acronym
- ERG-ABU
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 27 Jan 2026
- Last updated
- 8 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 8 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Workstation Ergonomics Intervention to Reduce Musculoskeletal Symptoms Among University Employees
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07382466
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ERG-ABU / 46120176/2025
- Conditions
- Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders, Musculoskeletal Disorders, Occupational Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 150 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Al-Baha UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 10 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 10 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 10 Apr 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 2 Feb 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
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.
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 design
- Primary purpose
- Prevention
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Parallel groups
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 2
- Model description
- Two-arm parallel-group study (intervention vs control) with pre-post assessments.
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Ergonomics Program (Intervention) | Experimental | Behavioral: Workstation Ergonomics ProgramParticipants 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. |
| Usual Practice (Control) | Active comparator | Behavioral: 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. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 55 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (3 listed)
- 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.
Key exclusion criteria (4 listed)
- 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.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Workstation Ergonomics ProgramAlso: Ergonomics Education and Workstation Self-AssessmentParticipants 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. | Behavioural | Ergonomics Program (Intervention) |
| 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. | Behavioural | Usual Practice (Control) |
Primary outcome
Change in number of painful body regions
Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks.
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.
2 secondary outcomes
Change in workstation ergonomic quality score
Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks
Change in total musculoskeletal pain severity score
Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 8 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Workstation Ergonomics Program in people with Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Musculoskeletal Disorders, run by Al-Baha University at 1 site in Saudi Arabia.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 3 inclusion and 4 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 8 Jul 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Saudi Arabia. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Change in number of painful body regions (time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks.). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 8 Jul 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 28 Oct 2026.