Active Break Intervention on Low Back Pain and Musculoskeletal Discomfort During Prolonged Sitting Among Young People

Plain-language summary

The most recent evidence showed that the COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019, National Institutes of Health) pandemic caused an increase in low back pain (LBP) prevalence and intensity among young people. This may be explained by the prolonged sitting time, next to reduced level of physical activity. Young people spend most of their time in a sitting position while studying (in school class, during homework) and using electronic devices (using the computer, laptop, mobile phone, tablets, or watching TV), and now using e-learning methods. E-learning, and thus prolonged sitting, is a topic that returned to higher education at the beginning of the 2022-2023 academic year because of the current energy crisis. Re-education on sitting posture is a common aspect of LBP management. Physiotherapists recommend many different sitting positions to prevent and treat the negative effects of prolonged sitting. However, there is debate regarding what is an optimal sitting posture. Studies showed that sitting posture with the backrest on the chair induced minimal changes in lumbar lordosis and significantly lesser pain compared to other types of the chair. Even though the sitting posture will be followed by proper ergonomic principles, every position (lordotic or kyphotic) maintained for a prolonged time leads to discomfort and soft tissue symptoms. Studies showed that body perceived discomfort scores increased over time during sitting and after 30 min of sitting is significantly greater than those at baseline. Currently, breaks are recommended for mitigating the adverse of prolonged sitting, but more evidence is needed to verify effectiveness of breaks. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of active break on reduce LBP and perceived musculoskeletal discomfort during prolonged sitting in young people with LBP. Optimal combination of sitting and breaks will help to develop ergonomic recommendations for young people. Main research outcomes - exercise protocol and intervention - will be developed to match the needs of young people with LBP and the possibilities of the environment, in order to reduce LBP and musculoskeletal discomfort during prolonged sitting, and consequently, maintain health and quality of life. The intervention will address the social and health needs of a particular social group: young people, with the possibility of extending the recommendations to other groups.

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