The Effect of Instrument-Assisted Application on Posture, Quality of Life, and Work Role Functionality in Office Workers

INTRODUCTION: To evaluate the effects of instrument-assisted spinal manipulation delivered with the Activator Method on posture, health-related quality of life, and work role functioning in office workers with musculoskeletal complaints related to prolonged sitting.
METHODS: Fifty office workers (20–45 years) were randomly allocated to an Activator group (weekly Activator Method spinal manipulations for 6 weeks) or a control group (no intervention). Posture was assessed using the PostureScreen Mobile app. Quality of life and work role functioning were assessed with the SF-12 and Work Role Functioning Questionnaire (WRFQ), respectively, at baseline, week 3, and week 6. Data were analyzed in SPSS v22.0; statistical significance was set at p<0.05.
RESULTS: At week 6, between-group differences favored the Activator group for the SF-12 physical component score, the WRFQ total score and physical demands subscale, and several postural parameters (nominal p<0.05; FDR-adjusted q-values reported for postural outcomes). Within the Activator group, improvements were observed in both SF-12 component scores, all WRFQ subdomains, and most postural parameters. The control group showed small but statistically significant changes in a limited number of work-role and postural outcomes (p<0.05).
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Activator-assisted spinal manipulation was associated with improvements in posture, quality of life, and work role functioning in office workers. These findings suggest that instrument-assisted spinal manipulation may contribute to improvements in occupational health settings; however, confirmatory sham-controlled trials are needed.

Keywords: Activator method, office workers, posture, spinal manipulation, work role functioning.