Evidence map›Paper›PMID 34172540›Full record

Trial reportBMJ open2021

Effectiveness of workplace active rest programme on low back pain in office workers: a stepped-wedge cluster randomised controlled trial.

Yamato Tsuboi, Tomohiro Oka, Kiyomasa Nakatsuka, Tsunenori Isa, Rei Ono

Abstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 3 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
3citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

3 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Article
  3. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Yamato TsuboiDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan.ORCID 0000-0001-5250-8277
Tomohiro OkaDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan.
Kiyomasa NakatsukaDepartment of Public Health, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan.
Tsunenori IsaDepartment of Community Health Sciences, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan.
Rei OnoDepartment of Public Health, Kobe University Graduate School of Health Sciences, Kobe, Japan ono@phoenix.kobe-u.ac.jp.ORCID 0000-0002-0176-2870

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of workplace active rest programme (WARP) on chronic low back pain (LBP) among office workers.

designA closed cohort, stepped-wedge cluster randomised trial was conducted. The total duration of the study was 16 weeks (4 weeks for each step). Sequence allocation was randomised, but no one was blinded.

settingThis study was conducted in three offices in a Japanese electronics company. One office was for the administrative department, the others are for the engineering department.

participantsWe recruited 29 office workers with LBP greater than 3 months. LBP due to specific injury or disease was excluded. The median age was 38 years, and 26 (90%) were male. All participants completed the study.

interventionsIn the intervention phase, participants performed WARP comprising frequent stand-up and individualised brief exercise/physical activity during work. Physical therapists held an LBP workshop and developed tailor-made programmes before introducing WARP. We instructed participants to perform WARP at five timings during work. Control phase was set before the intervention and participants stayed as usual. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: The primary outcome was pain intensity of LBP assessed using the Brief Pain Inventory. The secondary outcomes were work productivity loss measured using the Work Limitations Questionnaire, LBP disability assessed using the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, psychosocial subscale assessed using the STarT Back Screening Tool and physical activity measured using triaxial accelerometers. These outcomes were collected at baseline and at 4-month follow-up evaluation.

resultsIn the intention-to-treat analysis, WARP did not show any significant effects on pain intensity (

conclusionsThe present study was unable to confirm the effectiveness of active rest in improving LBP. Hence, further study needs to investigate its effectiveness. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: UMIN000033210.

Indexed as

Low Back PainAdultEfficiencyHumansMaleMass ScreeningWorkplaceback painoccupational & industrial medicinepain management

Identifiers

PMID34172540
PMCPMC8237750

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Registered trials

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.