Plain language summary
The occurrence of muscle pain in healthcare workers has been attributed to the conditions within which they are working, mainly the load and physical effort that accompanies handling patients and prolonged awkward working postures. Back, neck, shoulder and hand pain have all been reported. Treatments have been extensively studied; however, few provide long-term benefits. Strength exercise and stretching during work hours has been proposed as a therapy and this randomised control trial of 60 healthcare professionals aimed to determine the effect of whole-body stretching (WBS) during rest breaks at work. The results showed that pain in the lower back, neck and knee were most reported by healthcare professions. By attending three 30-minute stretching exercise classes per week participants experienced less muscle pain and used less effort when performing a variety of job associated tasks. It was concluded that stretching during work time may improve feelings of muscle pain in healthcare professionals, however more large-scale research is warranted to confirm these findings. This study could be used by healthcare professionals to recommend stretching exercise to other healthcare workers and to those who perform manual jobs.
Abstract
Background and Objectives: To investigate the effect of whole-body stretching (WBS) exercise during lunch break for reducing musculoskeletal pain and physical exertion among healthcare professionals. Methods: Full-time healthcare professionals working in hospitals with more than one year of experience were invited to participate. Sixty healthcare professionals (age 37.15 ± 3.9 Years, height 1.61 ± 0.04 m, body mass 67.8 ± 6.3 kg, and BMI 26.5 ± 2.1 kg/m2) participated in this single-blinded, two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT). Participants were divided into WBS (n = 30) and control (n = 30) groups. The WBS group performed a range of stretching exercises targeting the entire body during a lunch break period for 3 times a week for 6 weeks. The control group received an education program. Musculoskeletal pain and physical exertion were assessed using the Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire and Borg rating of perceived exertion scale, respectively. Results: The 12-month prevalence of musculoskeletal discomfort among all healthcare professionals was highest in the low back region (46.7%), followed by the neck (43.3%), and then the knee (28.3%). About 22% of participants said that their neck discomfort impacted their job, while about 18% reported that their low back pain impacted their job. Results indicate that the WBS and education program had a beneficial impact on pain and physical exertion (p < 0.001). When comparing the two groups, the WBS group experienced a significantly greater decrease in pain intensity (mean difference 3.6 vs. 2.5) and physical exertion (mean difference 5.6 vs. 4.0) compared to an education program only. Conclusions: This study suggests that doing WBS exercises during lunchtime can help lessen musculoskeletal pain and fatigue, making it easier to get through the workday.
Methodological quality
Jadad score
:
3
Allocation concealment
:
No
