Effectiveness of Exercise Interventions for Chronic Low Back Pain Among Office Workers: A Systematic Review and...

Chronic low back pain (LBP), largely attributable to prolonged sitting and low levels of physical activity, is prevalent among office workers and constitutes a major occupational health concern. Although exercise therapy is widely recommended for chronic LBP, limited studies specifically target office workers. In this study, we systematically evaluated the effectiveness of exercise interventions for office workers with chronic LBP, focusing on pain intensity, functional disability, physical activity level, and work-related outcomes.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) was conducted. Electronic databases were searched for RCTs published through March 31, 2025. Primary outcomes were pain intensity and work productivity; secondary outcomes were functional disability and physical activity level. Meta-analyses were performed using a random-effects model, and the certainty of evidence was assessed using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation approach.

we included 4 RCTs, involving 263 participants, in this review. At short-term follow-up, the pooled estimate suggested that exercise interventions may reduce pain intensity compared with control conditions. However, the certainty of evidence was very low, and evidence for functional disability and physical activity level was insufficient. None of the included studies assessed work productivity or presenteeism using validated instruments. The certainty of evidence for pain and functional disability outcomes was rated as very low.

Exercise interventions may reduce short-term pain in office workers with chronic LBP; however, evidence regarding functional and work-related outcomes remains insufficient. High-quality, long-term studies incorporating work productivity and presenteeism as primary outcomes are required.