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NCT Number: NCT07442383

The Effect of Exercise and Ergonomics Training Program on Musculoskeletal Disorders in Teachers

Comparing the effectiveness of ergonomics and exercise training given to teachers regarding musculoskeletal disorders.

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Key information

Conditions

Age range

30 year–60 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

Tatvan

Bitlis, Tatvan, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location status: Recruiting

Location contact

Muharrem AKAR

CONTACT

+905075850626

About this study

This study is planned as a randomized controlled experimental study. The research will be conducted with teachers working in schools affiliated with the Tatvan National Education Directorate. The study will evaluate the effect of a structured exercise program, given in conjunction with ergonomics training, on musculoskeletal disorders compared to the group that received only ergonomics training. The study population consists of teachers working in preschool, primary, secondary, and high school levels who have musculoskeletal disorders.

Pain intensity will be assessed using the Visual Analog Scale . The Oswestry Disability Index will be used to assess functional impairment due to lower back pain, and the Neck Disability Index will be used to assess functional impairment due to neck pain. The distribution and frequency of musculoskeletal symptoms according to body regions will be assessed using the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, and the level of burnout will be assessed using the Maslach Burnout Inventory. All measurement tools will be applied before and after the intervention.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Being between 30-60 years old
  • Having been a teacher for at least 5 years
  • Having experienced musculoskeletal pain for at least three months
  • Being able to participate in the ergonomics training and exercise program planned during the study period

Exclusion criteria

  • Having a pain score below 3 on the Visual Analog scale
  • Having a neurological or orthopedic disease that prevents exercise
  • Having undergone musculoskeletal surgery within the last six months
  • Having a psychological disorder that may prevent exercise

Treatment and study plan

ergonomics training

Other

Ergonomics training will be implemented in a total of four sessions, in weeks 1, 4, 8, and 12, and each session will last approximately 30-45 minutes. The training content will cover: posture awareness, classroom work ergonomics, computer and whiteboard use, standing work, lifting and carrying techniques, and ergonomic suggestions for daily life.

ergonomics training + exercise

Other

In addition to ergonomics training, participants in the experimental group will undergo a structured exercise program lasting approximately 35-45 minutes a day, 3 days a week, for 12 weeks. The exercise program will consist of stretching, strengthening, posture, and core stabilization exercises targeting the neck, shoulders, back, and lower back, and will be planned to progress in stages.

Primary outcomes

  1. Oswestry Disability Index

    Time frame: 14 weeks

    The Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) is a self-completed questionnaire used to assess the level of disability in patients with low back pain. In the current study, the ODI will be used to evaluate the impact of low back pain on patients' daily lives.The survey consists of ten sections focusing on different aspects of daily life, such as pain severity, personal care, weight lifting, walking, sitting, standing, sleep, sexual function, social life, and travel. Each section contains six statements scored from 0 to 5; The first expression is zero, indicating no disability. The scores of all questions are summed and then multiplied by two to obtain an index ranging from 0 to 100. The higher the score, the greater the disability.

  2. Neck Disability Index

    Time frame: 14 weeks

    it consist of 10 questions in total, including ones about pain intensity, personal care, lifting, reading, headaches, driving, concentration, work, sleeping, and recreation Each item is scored from 0 (no disability) to 5 (total disability)

  3. Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire

    Time frame: 14 weeks

    It is a scale used to determine the extent of pain in the musculoskeletal system. The purpose of this questionnaire is to identify and compare pain and complaints in parts of the body. There is an image showing the 9 parts of the body included in the questionnaire. These body parts; neck, shoulders, back, elbows, hands, waist, hips, knees and feet. The respondents are asked whether they have experienced problems such as pain and discomfort in their body parts in the last 12 months, in the last 4 weeks, and on the day of the assessment, and they are asked to mark this as yes or no.

  4. Maslach Burnout Scale

    Time frame: 14 weeks

    The scale consists of 22 questions in total. A 5-point Likert scale is used to answer the questions. There are options such as 0- Never, 1- Rarely, 2- Sometimes, 3- Often, 4- Always. Volunteers are asked to tick the appropriate option for each question. The scale has 3 sub-categories. There are 9 items for the emotional exhaustion section, 5 items for the depersonalization section, and 8 items for the personal achievement section. People with high burnout levels are expected to have high scores on the emotional exhaustion section and depersonalization section, and low personal achievement scores. The scores that can be obtained from the subscales range from 0-36 for emotional exhaustion, 0-20 for depersonalization, and 0-32 for personal achievement.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Ömer ŞEVGİN

CONTACT

[email protected]

+905069787535

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

Uskudar University

Other

Registry information

Official study title

The Effect of Exercise and Ergonomics Training Program on Musculoskeletal Disorders in Teachers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2026
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Mar 2, 2026
Registry last updated
Mar 3, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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