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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Public Health
Sec. Occupational Health and Safety
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1438591

Combined and isolated effects of workstation ergonomics and physiotherapy in improving Cervicogenic headache and work ability in office workers: A single-blinded, randomized controlled study

Provisionally accepted
Gopal Nambi Gopal Nambi 1*Mshari Alghadier Mshari Alghadier 2SHAHUL HAMEED PAKKIR MOHAMED SHAHUL HAMEED PAKKIR MOHAMED 3Arul Vellaiyan Arul Vellaiyan 2Elturabi Elsayed Ebrahim Elturabi Elsayed Ebrahim 2Desa Sobeh Desa Sobeh 2Faizan Z Kashoo Faizan Z Kashoo 4Alaa Jameel A. Albarakati Alaa Jameel A. Albarakati 5Naif A Nwihadh Naif A Nwihadh 6Vijayamurugan Eswaramoorthi Vijayamurugan Eswaramoorthi 7
  • 1 Department of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
  • 2 Prince Sattam Bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia
  • 3 University of Tabuk, Tabuk, Tabuk, Saudi Arabia
  • 4 Majmaah University, Al Majma'ah, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • 5 Umm al-Qura University, Mecca, Saudi Arabia
  • 6 Faculty of Medicine, King Fahad Medical City, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
  • 7 University of Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    Objective: The objective of the study is to compare and investigate the combined and individual effects of workstation ergonomics, physiotherapy and patient education in improving CgH headaches and work ability in office workers. Methods: 96 eligible CgH participants were divided into the ergonomics modifications group (EMG; n=24), physiotherapy group (PTG; n=24), and ergonomics modifications combined with physiotherapy group (EPG; n=24) and education control group (CNG; n=24), the participants received the respective treatment for four weeks. Primary (CgH frequency) and secondary (CgH pain intensity, CgH disability, flexion rotation test (right and left), neck disability index and work ability) scores were measured. The effects of treatment at various intervals were analyzed with a 4 × 4 linear mixed model analysis (LMM) between treatment groups and time intervals. Results: Four weeks following training EPG group showed more significant changes in primary outcome CgH frequency; 4.6 CI 95% 3.63 to 5.56 when compare to control group. The same gradual improvement was noticed at 8 weeks 8.2 CI 95% 7.53 to 8.86 and at 6 months follow up 11.9 CI 95% 11.25 to 12.54 when compare to other groups (p=0.001) which is statistically 52.97% improvement. Similar improvements can be seen in the secondary outcome measures such as CgH pain intensity, CgH disability, flexion rotation test (right and left), neck disability index and work ability in EPG group than the EMG, PTG, and CNG groups (p = 0.001) at 4 weeks, 8 weeks and at 6 months’ follow-up. Conclusion: This study observed that the workstation ergonomics and physiotherapy group experienced significantly more improvements in cervicogenic headache patients.

    Keywords: Data is available Cervicogenic headache, ergonomics, Workstation, Physiotherapy, office workers

    Received: 26 May 2024; Accepted: 04 Nov 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Nambi, Alghadier, PAKKIR MOHAMED, Vellaiyan, Ebrahim, Sobeh, Kashoo, Jameel A. Albarakati, Nwihadh and Eswaramoorthi. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence: Gopal Nambi, Department of Physical Therapy and Health Rehabilitation, College of Applied Medical Sciences, Prince Sattam bin Abdulaziz University, Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia

    Disclaimer: All claims expressed in this article are solely those of the authors and do not necessarily represent those of their affiliated organizations, or those of the publisher, the editors and the reviewers. Any product that may be evaluated in this article or claim that may be made by its manufacturer is not guaranteed or endorsed by the publisher.