Background:
Musculoskeletal disorders are common occupational health problems among industrial workers, particularly manual material handlers involved in repetitive lifting and physical tasks. Ergonomic education and postural awareness interventions are frequently used to prevent these disorders, but long-term follow-up data regarding their effectiveness remain limited.
Purpose:
The main objective of this study was to evaluate the 12-month effectiveness of an intensive ergonomic education and postural awareness program on musculoskeletal symptoms, ergonomic risk levels, handling posture, and knowledge levels among manual material handlers.
Methods:
In this randomized controlled trial, participants were randomly allocated into two groups: an Intervention Group and a Control Group. The Intervention Group received comprehensive theoretical and practical ergonomic education focused on safe material handling and postural awareness, followed by regular follow-ups and reminders. The Control Group received baseline assessments without ongoing postural reinforcement. Outcome measures-including musculoskeletal symptom severity, ergonomic posture risk, and ergonomic knowledge-were evaluated at baseline, 3rd, 6th, 9th, and 12th months.