PostureNCT07716501
Postural Awareness and Musculoskeletal Complaints
An observational study of Posture and Musculoskeletal Complication, run by Recep Tayyip Erdogan University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
Musculoskeletal complaints are common among working adults and reflect demographic, occupational, ergonomic, and lifestyle-related influences. Whether postural awareness is associated with musculoskeletal complaints beyond these factors remains unclear. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 65 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Posture, Musculoskeletal Complication, Worker Health
- How many people
- 212 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 15 May 2026to 5 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Observational
- 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 65 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult, Older adult
Study population: Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. Eligible participants were adults aged ≥18 years who were currently employed, had maintained the same predominant working pattern for at least six months, worked at least six hours per day, and were able to understand and complete the Turkish-language questionnaires. Individuals were excluded if they reported an inflammatory rheumatic disease, fibromyalgia or another chronic widespread pain disorder, a neurological disorder, major musculoskeletal surgery during the preceding six months, acute musculoskeletal trauma, continuous use of analgesics, muscle relaxants, or systemic corticosteroids, pregnancy, professional-level sports participation, or a diagnosed severe postural deformity. These criteria were intended to reduce the potential influence of health conditions or exposures that could substantially alter musculoskeletal symptoms or postural awareness independently of occupational factors. Eligibility was reassessed before a
Who may be able to join
- Adults aged ≥18 years who were currently employed
- Had maintained the same predominant working pattern for at least six months
- Worked at least six hours per day
- Were able to understand and complete the Turkish-language questionnaires.
Who cannot join
- an inflammatory disease, fibromyalgia or another chronic widespread pain disorder, a neurological disorder, major musculoskeletal surgery during the preceding six months
- acute musculoskeletal trauma
- continuous use of analgesics, muscle relaxants, or systemic corticosteroids
- pregnancy
- professional-level sports participation
- a diagnosed severe postural deformity.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: Higher Postural Awareness is Associated With Fewer Musculoskeletal Complaints in Working Adults Beyond Occupational, Ergonomic, and Lifestyle Factors
Musculoskeletal complaints are common among working adults and reflect demographic, occupational, ergonomic, and lifestyle-related influences. Whether postural awareness is associated with musculoskeletal complaints beyond these factors remains unclear. This study examined whether postural awareness was independently associated with the number of symptomatic body regions and regional musculoskeletal complaints among working adults.
In this cross-sectional study, 212 working adults completed the Postural Awareness Scale (PAS), Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and questionnaires assessing demographic characteristics, occupational factors, perceived workplace ergonomics, and regular exercise. The primary outcome was the number of symptomatic body regions. Hierarchical Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to assess the association between postural awareness and the primary outcome after sequential covariate adjustment. Generalized Poisson regression was performed as a sensitivity analysis. Prespecified robust logistic regression models examined neck, upper-back, lower-back, and shoulder complaints, with Holm correction for multiple comparisons.
Read the detailed description
The present study investigated the association between postural awareness and musculoskeletal complaints in working adults across predominantly sitting, mixed, and predominantly standing working conditions. The primary hypothesis was that higher postural awareness would be associated with a lower number of symptomatic body regions after sequential adjustment for demographic characteristics, occupational factors, perceived workplace ergonomics, regular exercise, and physical activity. We additionally hypothesized that higher postural awareness would be associated with lower odds of complaints in the prespecified neck, upper-back, lower-back, and shoulder regions. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Demographic and occupational variables included age, sex, height, body weight, educational level, predominant working condition, duration in the current working arrangement, daily and weekly working hours, regular exercise participation, and perceived workplace ergonomics. Predominant working condition was self-reported and classified into three mutually exclusive categories: predominantly sitting, mixed sitting and standing, and predominantly standing. Participants were asked to indicate the posture in which they spent more than 50% of their working day. The mixed category represented participants who alternated between sitting and standing, with neither posture accounting for more than 50% of the working day.
Perceived workplace ergonomics was assessed by asking participants whether they considered their workplace to be ergonomically appropriate and categorized as ergonomic, partially ergonomic, or non-ergonomic. Because this variable reflected participants' subjective appraisal rather than an objective ergonomic assessment, it is referred to as perceived workplace ergonomics throughout the study. Regular exercise was defined as engaging in planned exercise at least three days per week, for at least 30 minutes per session, over the preceding three months. Analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 29.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).
- Conditions
- Posture, Musculoskeletal Complication, Worker Health
- Keywords
- Postural awareness, Musculoskeletal complaints, Physical activity, Occupational health
- Medical subject headings
- Motor Activity
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Working adults | Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Musculoskeletal complaints
Musculoskeletal complaints during the preceding working week were assessed using the validated Turkish version of the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ). The CMDQ assesses the frequency, severity, and work interference associated with musculoskeletal discomfort across different anatomical regions. The Turkish version has demonstrated satisfactory construct validity and test-retest reliability in working adults. For each anatomical region, the weighted CMDQ score was calculated as the product of the frequency, discomfort-severity, and work-interference scores. Higher weighted scores indicate more frequent or severe discomfort and greater interference with work. A regional complaint was defined a priori as a weighted CMDQ score greater than zero. The primary outcome was the numbe
Measured: At baseline
Postural awareness
Postural awareness was assessed using the validated Turkish version of the Postural Awareness Scale (PAS). The original PAS was developed to assess two related dimensions: ease or familiarity with postural awareness and the need for attention regulation to achieve postural awareness. The resulting Turkish PAS comprises 11 items rated on a seven-point Likert scale and has demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency and test-retest reliability among Turkish office workers. After reverse-scoring the relevant items, item scores were summed to obtain a total score ranging from 11 to 77. Higher scores indicate greater self-reported postural awareness. The total PAS score was analysed as a continuous variable. For clinical and statistical interpretability, regression estimates were reported per 10-point increase in the PAS score.
Measured: At baseline
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted21 Jul 2026
- Study start15 May 2026
- Primary completion5 Jul 2026
- Study completion5 Jul 2026
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for PostureStudies 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
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 212 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Recep Tayyip Erdogan University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- İstanbul Yeni Yüzyıl Üniversitesi
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Seda Karaca, Recep Tayyip Erdogan University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07716501
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2026/05-1909
- Status last verified
- Jul 2026
- First submitted
- 16 Jul 2026
- Last updated
- 21 Jul 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No: I do not prefer.
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 21 Jul 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Higher Postural Awareness is Associated With Fewer Musculoskeletal Complaints in Working Adults Beyond Occupational, Ergonomic, and Lifestyle Factors
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07716501
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- 2026/05-1909
- Conditions
- Posture, Musculoskeletal Complication, Worker Health
- Keywords
- Postural awareness, Musculoskeletal complaints, Physical activity, Occupational health
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 212 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- Recep Tayyip Erdogan UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Collaborators
- İstanbul Yeni Yüzyıl Üniversitesi
- Study start
- 15 May 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 5 Jul 2026 (actual)
- Study completion
- 5 Jul 2026 (actual)
- First posted
- 21 Jul 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.
Musculoskeletal complaints are common among working adults and reflect demographic, occupational, ergonomic, and lifestyle-related influences. Whether postural awareness is associated with musculoskeletal complaints beyond these factors remains unclear. This study examined whether postural awareness was independently associated with the number of symptomatic body regions and regional musculoskeletal complaints among working adults.
In this cross-sectional study, 212 working adults completed the Postural Awareness Scale (PAS), Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire, International Physical Activity Questionnaire, and questionnaires assessing demographic characteristics, occupational factors, perceived workplace ergonomics, and regular exercise. The primary outcome was the number of symptomatic body regions. Hierarchical Poisson regression with robust standard errors was used to assess the association between postural awareness and the primary outcome after sequential covariate adjustment. Generalized Poisson regression was performed as a sensitivity analysis. Prespecified robust logistic regression models examined neck, upper-back, lower-back, and shoulder complaints, with Holm correction for multiple comparisons.
Detailed description
The present study investigated the association between postural awareness and musculoskeletal complaints in working adults across predominantly sitting, mixed, and predominantly standing working conditions. The primary hypothesis was that higher postural awareness would be associated with a lower number of symptomatic body regions after sequential adjustment for demographic characteristics, occupational factors, perceived workplace ergonomics, regular exercise, and physical activity. We additionally hypothesized that higher postural awareness would be associated with lower odds of complaints in the prespecified neck, upper-back, lower-back, and shoulder regions. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews. Demographic and occupational variables included age, sex, height, body weight, educational level, predominant working condition, duration in the current working arrangement, daily and weekly working hours, regular exercise participation, and perceived workplace ergonomics. Predominant working condition was self-reported and classified into three mutually exclusive categories: predominantly sitting, mixed sitting and standing, and predominantly standing. Participants were asked to indicate the posture in which they spent more than 50% of their working day. The mixed category represented participants who alternated between sitting and standing, with neither posture accounting for more than 50% of the working day.
Perceived workplace ergonomics was assessed by asking participants whether they considered their workplace to be ergonomically appropriate and categorized as ergonomic, partially ergonomic, or non-ergonomic. Because this variable reflected participants' subjective appraisal rather than an objective ergonomic assessment, it is referred to as perceived workplace ergonomics throughout the study. Regular exercise was defined as engaging in planned exercise at least three days per week, for at least 30 minutes per session, over the preceding three months. Analyses were performed using IBM SPSS Statistics for Windows, version 29.0 (IBM Corp., Armonk, NY, USA).
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Working adults | – | –Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 65 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
- Study population
- Participants were recruited through convenience sampling. Eligible participants were adults aged ≥18 years who were currently employed, had maintained the same predominant working pattern for at least six months, worked at least six hours per day, and were able to understand and complete the Turkish-language questionnaires. Individuals were excluded if they reported an inflammatory rheumatic disease, fibromyalgia or another chronic widespread pain disorder, a neurological disorder, major musculoskeletal surgery during the preceding six months, acute musculoskeletal trauma, continuous use of analgesics, muscle relaxants, or systemic corticosteroids, pregnancy, professional-level sports participation, or a diagnosed severe postural deformity. These criteria were intended to reduce the potential influence of health conditions or exposures that could substantially alter musculoskeletal symptoms or postural awareness independently of occupational factors. Eligibility was reassessed before a
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Adults aged ≥18 years who were currently employed
- Had maintained the same predominant working pattern for at least six months
- Worked at least six hours per day
- Were able to understand and complete the Turkish-language questionnaires.
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- an inflammatory disease, fibromyalgia or another chronic widespread pain disorder, a neurological disorder, major musculoskeletal surgery during the preceding six months
- acute musculoskeletal trauma
- continuous use of analgesics, muscle relaxants, or systemic corticosteroids
- pregnancy
- professional-level sports participation
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Primary outcome
Musculoskeletal complaints
Time frame: At baseline
Musculoskeletal complaints during the preceding working week were assessed using the validated Turkish version of the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ). The CMDQ assesses the frequency, severity, and work interference associated with musculoskeletal discomfort across different anatomical regions. The Turkish version has demonstrated satisfactory construct validity and test-retest reliability in working adults. For each anatomical region, the weighted CMDQ score was calculated as the product of the frequency, discomfort-severity, and work-interference scores. Higher weighted scores indicate more frequent or severe discomfort and greater interference with work. A regional complaint was defined a priori as a weighted CMDQ score greater than zero. The primary outcome was the numbe
Postural awareness
Time frame: At baseline
Postural awareness was assessed using the validated Turkish version of the Postural Awareness Scale (PAS). The original PAS was developed to assess two related dimensions: ease or familiarity with postural awareness and the need for attention regulation to achieve postural awareness. The resulting Turkish PAS comprises 11 items rated on a seven-point Likert scale and has demonstrated satisfactory internal consistency and test-retest reliability among Turkish office workers. After reverse-scoring the relevant items, item scores were summed to obtain a total score ranging from 11 to 77. Higher scores indicate greater self-reported postural awareness. The total PAS score was analysed as a continuous variable. For clinical and statistical interpretability, regression estimates were reported per 10-point increase in the PAS score.
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 21 Jul 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No. I do not prefer.
Related trials for Posture
RecruitingObservational study
The Association Between Smartphone Overuse and Mechanical Neck Pain Among Galala University Students
Mechanical Neck Pain, Forward Head Posture (FHP)
Not yet recruiting
Digital Use, 24-Hour Movement Behaviors, and Myofascial Release in University Students With Neck Pain
Forward Head Posture, Chronic Nonspecific Neck Pain
Not yet recruiting
Immediate Effect of Kinesiotaping With Rounded Shoulder Posture in University Students
Rounded Shoulder Posture, Kinesio Taping
Not yet recruiting
Content Interest, Neck Posture, and Discomfort During Smartphone Use
Neck Discomfort During Smartphone Use
Not yet recruitingObservational study
Correlation Between Forward Head Posture and Executive Functions in Cervical Radiculopathy
Cervical Radiculopathy, Forward Head Posture
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?
An observational study of Posture and Musculoskeletal Complication, run by Recep Tayyip Erdogan University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
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 4 inclusion and 6 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 21 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 Turkey (Türkiye). 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?
Musculoskeletal complaints (time frame: At baseline). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. 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 21 Jul 2026.