Effects of education and teaching practical skills program to alleviate and prevent office syndrome symptoms of employees in the workplaces of Yasothon Province

Abstract

This study aimed to examine the effects of an educational program for relieving and preventing office syndrome on behavior modification and neck, shoulder, and lower back pain symptoms among employees in workplaces in Yasothon Province. This study employed a quasi-experimental research design with a two-group pretest-posttest design. The sample consisted of 60 employees from workplaces in Yasothon Province, divided into a control group of 30 participants and an experimental group of 30 participants. The experimental group received an educational program for relieving and preventing office syndrome (Educational Program:  Conquering Office Syndrome), while the control group received standard health information. Data were collected using a set of questionnaires consisting of four parts: 1) general information questionnaire, 2) office syndrome knowledge assessment, 3) skill assessment for proper muscle stretching techniques to relieve and prevent office syndrome, and 4) pain severity level assessment. The study duration was 3 months. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test, and paired t-test. A statistical significance level was set at 0.05.

Results: After 3 months of intervention, the experimental group showed significantly different behaviors in movement, muscle stretching, posture changes during work, and eye rest compared to the control group (p<0.05). The experimental group also had lower muscle pain scores in the neck, shoulder, and lower back areas compared to the control group. Notably, the shoulder muscle pain scores were significantly different from pre-intervention levels. In conclusion, the educational program for relieving and preventing office syndrome can effectively modify movement behaviors and reduce muscle pain in the neck, shoulder, and lower back areas.