Effects of participating in the Long Life Thai Fit (LLTF) physical exercise program on office syndrome among employees of a company in Bangkok

Abstract

This quasi-experimental research aimed to evaluate the effects of the Long Life Thai Fit (LLTF) physical exercise program on office syndrome symptoms (neck, shoulder, and back pain) before and after participating in the program. A single sample group was used to measure the results before and after the experiment. The sample consisted of 40 employees of a company in Bangkok, aged 30-49 years, with office syndrome symptoms. The selection method was purposive sampling. The research instrument was the LLTF physical exercise program, which lasted for 8 weeks. The results were measured by a physical fitness test on flexibility and a Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) for neck, shoulder, and back pain. Results: After participating in the LLTF program, the neck, shoulder, and back pain scores on the NRS scale were significantly reduced (p < 0.05) from a moderate pain level before the experiment to mild to moderate pain after the program. The reduction in NRS scores indicated a palpable pain relief, which may significantly improve the employees' quality of life and work performance. In addition, the results of the flexibility test of the sample group improved significantly (p < 0.05) in all tests, including the back-reaching test and the forward-bending test. This demonstrates the effectiveness of the LLTF program in not only reducing pain but also improving flexibility. Conclusion: The LLTF exercise program was effective in reducing office syndrome symptoms and also improved physical fitness in terms of flexibility in office workers who work in the same posture repeatedly. Future research should consider an experimental design with a control group and long-term follow-up to confirm the causal relationship and evaluate the sustainability of the program.