The Impact of Postural Correction and Ergonomic Interventions on Neck and Upper Back Pain in Office Workers

Abstract

Neck and upper back pain are prevalent among office workers and are commonly linked to prolonged sitting, poor workstation design, and sustained postural strain. Although ergonomic workstation modifications and postural or exercise-based strategies are widely recommended, comparative evidence remains inconsistent. This PRISMA-compliant systematic review synthesized findings from randomized and controlled trials assessing ergonomic, postural, and combined interventions in office-based populations. A mixed-methods synthesis was conducted, including quantitative summaries of trials with extractable numerical outcomes and structured narrative analysis of studies reporting statistically analyzed pain outcomes without full variance estimates. Twelve eligible trials were identified: three provided quantitative data and nine were narratively synthesized. Overall, ergonomic workstation interventions were associated with short-term reductions in neck and upper back pain compared with minimal or no intervention. Combined ergonomic and postural or exercise-based approaches generally demonstrated greater short-term improvements, particularly among participants with pre-existing symptoms. However, long-term effectiveness was unclear due to limited follow-up and attenuation of between-group differences in some studies. Heterogeneity in intervention design, outcome measures, and reliance on pain-based assessments further constrained certainty. Current evidence therefore supports short-term benefits of ergonomic and combined interventions for symptom reduction in office workers, while highlighting the need for well-powered trials with standardized outcomes and extended follow-up to establish sustained effectiveness.