Back Pain, Low Back Pain
Conditions
Keywords
back pain, low back pain, sit-stand workstation, standing desk
Brief summary
The purpose of the study is to evaluate the changes in back pain from access to a sit-stand workstation. Other muscle and joint pain and/or discomfort will also be evaluated. We hypothesize that access to a sit-stand workstation will allow one to experience postural variation and reduce back pain.
Interventions
OTHERSit-stand computer workstation
A sit-stand computer workstation allows one to sit or stand throughout the day while maintaining continued use of one's computer.
Sponsors
Stanford University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
No
Inclusion criteria
* Back pain lasting ≥3 months and reported at a minimum of 4 out of 10 on the pain scale. * Sits \>6 hours out of an 8-hour work day for work purposes * Able and willing to fill out a daily survey for the first week prior to randomization * Participants must be \>18 years of age. There are no gender/race-ethnic restrictions. * Ability to understand and the willingness to sign a written informed consent document.
Exclusion criteria
* Unable to stand for at least 10 minutes. * Currently using a sit-stand desk
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Back Pain | Baseline (Week 1) and Follow-Up (Week 18) | The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire is designed to assess self-rated physical disability caused by low back pain. The patient is asked to agree or disagree with 24 different statements related to their back pain. The end score is the sum of the agreed statements. The score ranges from 0 (no disability) to 24 (maximum disability). |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Pain in Other Body Parts | At the conclusion of each work day for 12 weeks and 8 weeks later | The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) allows patients to rate the severity of their pain and the degree to which their pain interferes with common dimensions of feeling and function. This data was not analyzed due to the focus of the project on lower back pain. |
Countries
United States
Participant flow
Participants by arm
| Arm | Count |
|---|---|
| Control Did not receive an intervention during the active portion of the study (i.e. 12 weeks). After the active portion of the study, this group was given a sit-stand computer workstation. | 21 |
| Sit-stand Computer Workstation Given a sit-stand computer workstation to use at their place of work
Sit-stand computer workstation: A sit-stand computer workstation allows one to sit or stand throughout the day while maintaining continued use of one's computer. | 25 |
| Total | 46 |
Baseline characteristics
| Characteristic | Control | Sit-stand Computer Workstation | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Age, Categorical <=18 years | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Age, Categorical >=65 years | 0 Participants | 0 Participants | 0 Participants |
| Age, Categorical Between 18 and 65 years | 21 Participants | 25 Participants | 46 Participants |
| Region of Enrollment United States | 21 participants | 25 participants | 46 participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Female | 17 Participants | 21 Participants | 38 Participants |
| Sex: Female, Male Male | 4 Participants | 4 Participants | 8 Participants |
Adverse events
| Event type | EG000 affected / at risk | EG001 affected / at risk |
|---|---|---|
| deaths Total, all-cause mortality | — / — | — / — |
| other Total, other adverse events | 0 / 21 | 0 / 25 |
| serious Total, serious adverse events | 0 / 21 | 0 / 25 |
Outcome results
Primary
Change in Back Pain
The Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire is designed to assess self-rated physical disability caused by low back pain. The patient is asked to agree or disagree with 24 different statements related to their back pain. The end score is the sum of the agreed statements. The score ranges from 0 (no disability) to 24 (maximum disability).
Time frame: Baseline (Week 1) and Follow-Up (Week 18)
| Arm | Measure | Group | Value (MEDIAN) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Control | Change in Back Pain | Baseline | 6 units on a scale |
| Control | Change in Back Pain | Follow Up | 4 units on a scale |
| Sit-stand Computer Workstation | Change in Back Pain | Baseline | 8.5 units on a scale |
| Sit-stand Computer Workstation | Change in Back Pain | Follow Up | 1.5 units on a scale |
Secondary
Change in Pain in Other Body Parts
The Brief Pain Inventory (BPI) allows patients to rate the severity of their pain and the degree to which their pain interferes with common dimensions of feeling and function. This data was not analyzed due to the focus of the project on lower back pain.
Time frame: At the conclusion of each work day for 12 weeks and 8 weeks later