Musculoskeletal DiscomfortNCT07209553
AI-Powered Micro-Breaks at Work
A study testing Mobi in people with Musculoskeletal Discomfort and Work-related Vigor, run by West University of Timisoara at 1 site in Romania.
Trial summary
This study evaluates the feasibility of an online intervention based on artificial intelligence-the Movebite app integrated into the Slack platform-aimed at promoting engagement in micro-breaks involving physical activity, with the goal of enhancing workplace well-being and reducing musculoskeletal discomfort among… Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 60 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Musculoskeletal Discomfort, Work-related Vigor
- What is being tested?
- Mobi
- Type of treatment
- Medical device
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 16 participants
- Where
- 1 siteRomania
- Study dates
- 7 Apr 2025to 16 Jul 2025
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 60 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- Employees between the ages of 18-60 years' old
- Full-time working entirely from home (home office)
- Have a PC or laptop and basic digital competencies
- Proficient in English language
Who cannot join
- Other work arrangements such as shift-work, part-time work
- Unable to access the internet/computer/install Slack app (Yes/No questions)
- No proficiency for English
- Not working mainly from a desk (e.g., fieldwork)
- Current health issues (current pregnancy, any neurological, vascular, or acute musculoskeletal condition or any disease or symptom)
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country.
About this study
Official title: "Smart Breaks" During Working Hours: Feasibility of an AI-Based Application to Enhance Well-Being Through Active Micro-Breaks Among Office Workers
This study evaluates the feasibility of an online intervention based on artificial intelligence-the Movebite app integrated into the Slack platform-aimed at promoting engagement in micro-breaks involving physical activity, with the goal of enhancing workplace well-being and reducing musculoskeletal discomfort among remote workers.
Read the detailed description
Remote and hybrid work have intensified sedentary behavior, increasing the risk of professional burnout and negatively affecting employee health. This study investigates the feasibility and accessibility of the Movebite app, an AI-based tool integrated into Slack, designed to encourage active micro-breaks. Through a one-arm, pre-test post-test design, we evaluate the feasibility and usability of the AI-based virtual coach and its relevance for well-being of employees working from home.
This research contributes to the development and promotion of empirically grounded solutions in the field of occupational health psychology, testing an innovative technological approach to reduce the negative impact of sedentary work.
- Conditions
- Musculoskeletal Discomfort, Work-related Vigor
- Being tested
- Mobi
- Keywords
- feasibility study, occupational health, AI coach, microbreaks
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
MobiDevice
Mobi is a conversational AI coach that serves as an occupational health coach for employees. Through coaching conversations, Mobi gets to know each employee and help them set micro-goals to work towards their overall health goal/objective. Mobi suggests small, personalized activities for the micro-breaks that align with these goals. To ensure ease of use it is integrated into Slack and MS Teams.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | The intervention involved using the Mobi AI coach to set up and engage in active micro-breaks over five consecutive working days. Receives: Device: Mobi |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Satisfaction with the intervention
Seven additional items are open-ended and will be analyzed qualitatively. These items allow participants to elaborate on what aspects of the program they found most or least valuable, describe their experience with communication tools within the intervention, and offer suggestions for improvement.
Measured: Post-intervention (1 week).
System usability
We will use a 10 item questionnaire (Bangor et al., 2009) designed to measure participants' satisfaction with Mobi, the AI health coach. The total score of System Usability Scale is 0 and the highest one is 100. A higher score means a better outcome.
Measured: Post-intervention (1 week)
Treatment adherence
Dropout rate and frequency of app usage.
Measured: Post-intervention only (1 week)
Vigor
Vigor refers to a positive affective state experienced at work. It will be assessed using five items from the Physical Strength subscale of the instrument developed by Shirom (2003). A higher score means a better outcome (i.e., increased employee vigor).
Measured: Change from baseline to post-test (1 week; 5 workdays)
Focus
Focus refers to an employee's capacity to maintain attention and mental clarity while working. It will be assessed using five items from the Cognitive Liveliness subscale of the instrument developed by Shirom (2003). A higher score indicates a better outcome (i.e., increased cognitive focus at work).
Measured: Change from baseline to post-test (1 week; 5 workdays).
Physical (dis)comfort
Physical discomfort (musculoskeletal pain) will be measured using a single-item instrument based on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) (Häfeli \& Elfering, 2006). The VAS is a widely used and validated method for assessing subjective physical symptoms such as pain intensity. Participants will indicate their level of discomfort by marking a point along a continuum, reflecting their experience over the past week. Higher scores indicate greater musculoskeletal discomfort.
Measured: Change from baseline to post-test (1 week; 5 workdays)
Positive and negative affect
Affect will be measured using the Positive Affect subscale from the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS; Watson, Clark, \& Tellegen, 1988). This scale assesses the extent to which individuals have experienced a range of positive emotions (e.g., enthusiastic, inspired, alert) over the past week. Participants rate each item on a 5-point scale, from "Very slightly or not at all" to "Extremely." Higher scores reflect a higher level of positive emotional experience.
Measured: Change from baseline to post-test (1 week; 5 workdays)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted7 Oct 2025
- Study start7 Apr 2025
- Primary completion27 Jun 2025
- Study completion16 Jul 2025
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (4)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Musculoskeletal DiscomfortStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Device feasibility
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 16 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- West University of Timisoara
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07209553
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- SmartBreaks
- Status last verified
- Oct 2025
- First submitted
- 9 Sep 2025
- Last updated
- 7 Oct 2025
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Publications
Bangor, A., Miller, J. & Kortum, P. (2009). Determining what individual SUS scores mean: Adding an adjective rating scale. Journal of Usability Studies, 4(3), 114-123. Retrieved from http://uxpajournal.org/determining-what-individual-sus-scores-mean-adding-an-adjective-rating-scale/
Shirom, A. (2003). Feeling vigorous at work? The construct of vigor and the study of positive affect in organizations. In Emotional and physiological processes and positive intervention strategies (pp. 135-164). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
Watson D, Clark LA, Tellegen A. Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: the PANAS scales. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1988 Jun;54(6):1063-70. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.54.6.1063.
PubMed 3397865Haefeli M, Elfering A. Pain assessment. Eur Spine J. 2006 Jan;15 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S17-24. doi: 10.1007/s00586-005-1044-x. Epub 2005 Dec 1.
PubMed 16320034
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 7 Oct 2025. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- "Smart Breaks" During Working Hours: Feasibility of an AI-Based Application to Enhance Well-Being Through Active Micro-Breaks Among Office Workers
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07209553
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- SmartBreaks
- Conditions
- Musculoskeletal Discomfort, Work-related Vigor
- Keywords
- feasibility study, occupational health, AI coach, microbreaks
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Completed
- Enrolment
- 16 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- West University of TimisoaraUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 7 Apr 2025 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 27 Jun 2025 (actual)
- Study completion
- 16 Jul 2025 (actual)
- First posted
- 7 Oct 2025 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study evaluates the feasibility of an online intervention based on artificial intelligence-the Movebite app integrated into the Slack platform-aimed at promoting engagement in micro-breaks involving physical activity, with the goal of enhancing workplace well-being and reducing musculoskeletal discomfort among remote workers.
Detailed description
Remote and hybrid work have intensified sedentary behavior, increasing the risk of professional burnout and negatively affecting employee health. This study investigates the feasibility and accessibility of the Movebite app, an AI-based tool integrated into Slack, designed to encourage active micro-breaks. Through a one-arm, pre-test post-test design, we evaluate the feasibility and usability of the AI-based virtual coach and its relevance for well-being of employees working from home.
This research contributes to the development and promotion of empirically grounded solutions in the field of occupational health psychology, testing an innovative technological approach to reduce the negative impact of sedentary work.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Device feasibility
- Allocation
- Not applicable
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 1
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Intervention | Experimental | Device: MobiThe intervention involved using the Mobi AI coach to set up and engage in active micro-breaks over five consecutive working days. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 60 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (4 listed)
- Employees between the ages of 18-60 years' old
- Full-time working entirely from home (home office)
- Have a PC or laptop and basic digital competencies
- Proficient in English language
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Other work arrangements such as shift-work, part-time work
- Unable to access the internet/computer/install Slack app (Yes/No questions)
- No proficiency for English
- Not working mainly from a desk (e.g., fieldwork)
- Current health issues (current pregnancy, any neurological, vascular, or acute musculoskeletal condition or any disease or symptom)
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| MobiMobi is a conversational AI coach that serves as an occupational health coach for employees. Through coaching conversations, Mobi gets to know each employee and help them set micro-goals to work towards their overall health goal/objective. Mobi suggests small, personalized activities for the micro-breaks that align with these goals. To ensure ease of use it is integrated into Slack and MS Teams. | Device | Intervention |
Primary outcome
Satisfaction with the intervention
Time frame: Post-intervention (1 week).
Seven additional items are open-ended and will be analyzed qualitatively. These items allow participants to elaborate on what aspects of the program they found most or least valuable, describe their experience with communication tools within the intervention, and offer suggestions for improvement.
System usability
Time frame: Post-intervention (1 week)
We will use a 10 item questionnaire (Bangor et al., 2009) designed to measure participants' satisfaction with Mobi, the AI health coach. The total score of System Usability Scale is 0 and the highest one is 100. A higher score means a better outcome.
Treatment adherence
Time frame: Post-intervention only (1 week)
Dropout rate and frequency of app usage.
Vigor
Time frame: Change from baseline to post-test (1 week; 5 workdays)
Vigor refers to a positive affective state experienced at work. It will be assessed using five items from the Physical Strength subscale of the instrument developed by Shirom (2003). A higher score means a better outcome (i.e., increased employee vigor).
Focus
Time frame: Change from baseline to post-test (1 week; 5 workdays).
Focus refers to an employee's capacity to maintain attention and mental clarity while working. It will be assessed using five items from the Cognitive Liveliness subscale of the instrument developed by Shirom (2003). A higher score indicates a better outcome (i.e., increased cognitive focus at work).
Physical (dis)comfort
Time frame: Change from baseline to post-test (1 week; 5 workdays)
Physical discomfort (musculoskeletal pain) will be measured using a single-item instrument based on the Visual Analog Scale (VAS) (Häfeli \& Elfering, 2006). The VAS is a widely used and validated method for assessing subjective physical symptoms such as pain intensity. Participants will indicate their level of discomfort by marking a point along a continuum, reflecting their experience over the past week. Higher scores indicate greater musculoskeletal discomfort.
Positive and negative affect
Time frame: Change from baseline to post-test (1 week; 5 workdays)
Affect will be measured using the Positive Affect subscale from the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS; Watson, Clark, \& Tellegen, 1988). This scale assesses the extent to which individuals have experienced a range of positive emotions (e.g., enthusiastic, inspired, alert) over the past week. Participants rate each item on a 5-point scale, from "Very slightly or not at all" to "Extremely." Higher scores reflect a higher level of positive emotional experience.
Results and safety
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 7 Oct 2025.
- Results publicationBangor, A., Miller, J. & Kortum, P. (2009). Determining what individual SUS scores mean: Adding an adjective rating scale. Journal of Usability Studies, 4(3), 114-123. Retrieved from http://uxpajournal.org/determining-what-individual-sus-scores-mean-adding-an-adjective-rating-scale/
- Results publicationShirom, A. (2003). Feeling vigorous at work? The construct of vigor and the study of positive affect in organizations. In Emotional and physiological processes and positive intervention strategies (pp. 135-164). Emerald Group Publishing Limited.
- Results publication: PubMed 3397865Watson D, Clark LA, Tellegen A. Development and validation of brief measures of positive and negative affect: the PANAS scales. J Pers Soc Psychol. 1988 Jun;54(6):1063-70. doi: 10.1037//0022-3514.54.6.1063.
- Results publication: PubMed 16320034Haefeli M, Elfering A. Pain assessment. Eur Spine J. 2006 Jan;15 Suppl 1(Suppl 1):S17-24. doi: 10.1007/s00586-005-1044-x. Epub 2005 Dec 1.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Mobi in people with Musculoskeletal Discomfort and Work-related Vigor, run by West University of Timisoara at 1 site in Romania.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 4 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: finished, as of the sponsor's last update on 7 Oct 2025. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Romania. Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study is completed, but results are not available in the source record. That does not mean the treatment did or did not work.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Satisfaction with the intervention (time frame: Post-intervention (1 week).). The study lists 7 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT07209553, which also lists 4 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 7 Oct 2025.