Table 1.
Descriptive characteristics of the study participants.
| Characteristic | Active break (n = 47) | Postural shift (n = 46) | Control (n = 100) | P |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Demographic characteristics | ||||
| Age (y) | 31.6 (6.1) | 35.0 (7.7) | 34.1 (5.3) | 0.008* |
| Sex: Female (%) | 33 (70.2) | 35 (74.5) | 79 (79.0) | NS |
| BMI | 21.3 (2.3) | 22.3 (2.3) | 21.0 (2.0) | 0.002* |
| Education: higher than a bachelor's degree (%) | 44 (95.7) | 45 (95.7) | 95 (95) | NS |
| Smoking status: No (%) | 38 (80.9) | 42 (91.3) | 91 (91) | NS |
| Exercise frequency in the past 12 mo: Regularly (%) | 7 (14.9) | 10 (21.8) | 22 (22.0 | NS |
| Job position: Manager level (%) | 45 (95.7) | 44 (95.7) | 95 (95) | NS |
| Baseline neck discomfort measured by the Borg CR-10 scale | 1.5 (1.2) | 1.3 (1.1) | 1.9 (1.6) | NS |
| Baseline low back discomfort measured by the Borg CR-10 scale | 2.9 (2.2) | 2.2 (2.2) | 3.7 (2.4) | 0.001* |
| Work-related characteristics | ||||
| Number of working hours (per day) | 8.0 (1.3) | 8.7 (1.3) | 7.8 (0.8) | NS |
| Year of work experience (y) | 6.9 (4.3) | 10.8 (5.3) | 9.1 (4.8) | <0.001* |
| Chair adjustability: Yes (%) | 46 (97.9) | 43 (93.5) | 64 (64) | <0.0001* |
| Continuous standing > 2 hours: No (%) | 43 (91.5) | 45 (97.8) | 94 (94) | NS |
| Having or not having lumbar support: Yes (%) | 20 (54.1) | 16 (39.0) | 43 (43) | NS |
| Often bending trunk forward: No (%) | 36 (76.6) | 37 (80.4) | 78 (78) | NS |
| Psychosocial characteristics | ||||
| Psychological job demands | 30.8 (4.4) | 32.5 (4.2) | 33.2 (4.4) | 0.009* |
*
P < 0.05.