WeMoveVirtual: Results from a Brief Virtual Movement Intervention for Musculoskeletal Pain and Well-being in Knowledge Workers

Abstract: In 2022, the on-site multi-component intervention of the project “Neck Exercise for Productivity (NEXpro)” demonstrated effectiveness in reducing pain and enhancing well-being among office workers. However, the shift towards a virtual and remote work setting necessitates the adaption of interventions like NEXpro for independent use, irrespective of time and location. Thus, we developed a virtual version of the NEXpro intervention.Purpose: Our aim was to implement and pilot a virtual version of the NEXpro intervention – specifically, a virtual brief movement intervention designed to reduce musculoskeletal pain and improve well-being.Methods: This observational study was conducted from October to December 2022. We recruited 22 employees from the University of Bern, Switzerland, without severe neck pain. The intervention consisted of a 6-week smartphone application-based movement program with 10 exercises designed to strengthen neck and back muscles. Throughout the intervention period, participants completed daily electronic diary forms. These forms assessed self-reported neck and back pain (each on a Visual Analogue Scale VAS from 0=no pain to 10=maximum pain), muscle and joint flexibility (VAS from 0=bad flexibility to 10=good flexibility), and physical and mental well-being (each on a VAS from 0=bad well-being to 10=good well-being). Additionally, participants documented the number of training sessions (i.e., training adherence). We conducted multilevel regression analyses for all outcomes of interest, including neck pain, back pain, flexibility of muscles and joints, physical well-being, and mental well-being.Results: Data from 22 participants (mean age: 33.36 years, 90.90% female) resulted in 392 daily electronic diary reports. The most frequent reported areas of pain were the neck (90.90%), shoulders (81.80%), upper back (72.70%), and lower back (68.20%). Participants demonstrated an average training adherence of 1.45 training days per week. The correlation between the presence of back and neck pain was high (r=0.69, p<.001). Multilevel regression analyses indicated a positive linear trend, with significant improvements in neck pain (B=-0.02), back pain (B=-0.03), muscle flexibility (B=0.02), physical well-being (B=0.04), and mental well-being (B=0.03, all p-values<.01). The individual number of training sessions during the intervention period showed a significant positive association with back pain (B=0.11, p<.05). Regarding the implementation process, it is noteworthy that the reminder function for training and questionnaires did not function properly.Conclusion: Overall, the implementation of the smartphone application was successful, with minor technical issues. The study demonstrated that the smartphone application can be used as a brief movement intervention to reduce musculoskeletal pain and increase well-being in knowledge workers. Importantly, the intervention effect in reducing neck pain was comparable to the on-site multi-component NEXpro intervention. However, it's important to acknowledge that training adherence was nearly half as much as observed in the NEXpro study. This insight underscores the need for continued development and refinement of the brief virtual movement intervention. The study's findings serve as a foundation for future developments aimed at optimizing training adherence and maximizing the effectiveness of the smartphone application in reducing musculoskeletal pain and enhancing well-being among knowledge workers.

Keywords: neck pain, exercise, training adherence, implementation, musculoskeletal pain, neck pain

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1005055

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