COMPARISON OF STRETCHING EXERCISES VERSUS ERGONOMIC EDUCATION FOR CHRONIC OFFICE-RELATED LOW BACK PAIN: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED TRIAL

Abstract

Background

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) attributable to prolonged occupational sitting constitutes a significant musculoskeletal burden among the global office-working population.^[1,2] While both therapeutic stretching and ergonomic education have individually demonstrated efficacy in alleviating CLBP, comparative evidence within a Pakistani clinical context remains sparse, and direct randomized comparisons between these two modalities are limited in the current literature.^[3]

Objective

This randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the effectiveness of a structured stretching exercise protocol (Group A) versus an ergonomic education programme (Group B) on pain intensity, functional disability, lumbar range of motion (ROM), and postural outcomes in office workers with chronic low back pain over an eight-week intervention period.

Methodology

Forty office workers aged 25-50 years with CLBP of more than three months' duration were recruited from Health & Wellness Physio Rehab Centre, Abbottabad, Pakistan, using convenient sampling with random group allocation. Participants were randomized equally (n = 20 per group) into Group A (stretching exercises: hamstring, hip flexor, lumbar flexion, piriformis, cat-camel, child's pose, pelvic tilt; 3 sessions/week for 8 weeks) or Group B (ergonomic education: workstation assessment, sitting posture correction, micro-break training; equivalent session frequency). Outcomes were assessed at baseline, 4th week, and 8th week using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), lumbar flexion ROM via inclinometry, and standardized postural assessment. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26 with a significance threshold of p < 0.05.

Results

Both groups demonstrated statistically significant within-group improvements from baseline across all outcome measures. However, Group A exhibited significantly superior outcomes at the 8th week compared to Group B. Group A's VAS score decreased from 7.15 ± 1.09 to 2.30 ± 0.82 versus Group B's reduction from 6.95 ± 1.14 to 3.85 ± 0.97 (p < 0.001). ODI scores improved from 42.80 ± 6.21% to 14.60 ± 4.18% in Group A versus 40.95 ± 5.87% to 24.35 ± 5.52% in Group B (p < 0.001). Lumbar flexion ROM and postural correction scores also favoured Group A significantly at endpoint.

Conclusion

Structured stretching exercises demonstrated clinically meaningful and statistically superior improvements over ergonomic education alone in reducing pain intensity and functional disability in office workers with chronic low back pain. Integration of targeted stretching protocols into workplace physiotherapy programmes is strongly recommended