Skip to main content
. 2019 Nov 19;2019(11):CD012487. doi: 10.1002/14651858.CD012487.pub2

Neuhaus 2014.

Methods Study design: allocation by clusters, 2 groups randomly and 2 groups non‐randomly: CBA
Study duration: 3 months
Dropout: 10% at 3 months (all participants).
Location: University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia
Recruitment: 3 sites on different campuses. A recruitment email was sent to all staff in the units
Participants Population: office workers located on the same office floor
 Intervention group: 16 participants multi‐component (whole group); 14 participants workstation only (whole group)
 Control group: 14 participants (whole group)
Included criteria: 18 to 65 years of age, able to speak English, ambulatory and working at least 0.5 full‐time equivalent
Excluded criteria: pregnancy, allergies to medical tape (used to attach the activity monitor), planned absence from work for longer than 1 week during intervention period, no pre‐existing musculoskeletal disorder
Baseline characteristics: stratified data not available, so not able to assess whether there were any baseline imbalances in the proportion of participants reporting baseline musculoskeletal symptoms
Interventions Intervention ‐ multi‐component
  • Description of intervention: multi‐component intervention drawing on social cognitive theory and an ecological model of sedentary behaviour. Intervention targets were "Stand Up, Sit Less, Move More"

  • Duration of intervention: 3 months

  • Intensity of intervention: 6 tailored emails


Intervention ‐ workstation only
  • Description of intervention: provision of workstation only

  • Duration of intervention: 3 months

  • Intensity of intervention: no further contact


Control
  • Description of intervention: maintenance of usual work practices

  • Duration of intervention: 3 months

  • Intensity of intervention: not stated

Outcomes Outcome name, measurement tool, body region
  • Musculoskeletal health

    • Standardised Nordic Questionnaire for 9 body regions ‐ neck, shoulder, upper back, elbow, wrist, lower back, hip, knee, and ankle ‐ over last week and last 3 months

  • Workplace sitting time

    • Work sitting and prolonged sitting measured by activPAL3 accelerometer/inclinometer device

  • Activity outcomes

    • Standing, stepping, stepping at light intensity, stepping at moderate to vigorous intensity measured by activPAL3 accelerometer/inclinometer device

  • Demographics

    • Survey

  • Work performance, absenteeism, and presenteeism

Notes Study authors could not be contacted for stratified data for participants with baseline pain

CBA: controlled before‐and‐after.