Workplace Strength Training Prevents Deterioration of Work Ability among Workers with Chronic Pain and Work Disability: A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Published in: Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment ＆ Health Environment ＆ Health, 2014-05, Vol.40 (3), p.244-251
• Main Authors: Sundstrup, Emil, Jakobsen, Markus D, Brandt, Mikkel, Jay, Kenneth, Persson, Roger, Aagaard, Per, Andersen, Lars L
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Abattoirs; Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Arbetsmedicin och miljömedicin; Arm; Biological and medical sciences; biopsychosocial; carpal tunnel syndrome; Chronic Pain; Clinical trials; Cranial nerves. Spinal roots. Peripheral nerves. Autonomic nervous system. Gustation. Olfaction; Disabilities; Disabled Persons; Diseases of the osteoarticular system; Elbow; elbow pain; Employees; Environmental Health and Occupational Health; ergonomic training; Ergonomics; Exercise; hand pain; Health Sciences; Humans; Hypotheses; Hypothesis testing; Hälsovetenskap; Intervention; Juxtaarticular diseases. Extraarticular rhumatism; lateral epicondylitis; Meat processing; Medical and Health Sciences; Medical sciences; Medicin och hälsovetenskap; Middle Aged; Miscellaneous. Osteoarticular involvement in other diseases; Muscles; Musculoskeletal diseases; musculoskeletal disorder; Musculoskeletal disorders; Nervous system (semeiology, syndromes); Neurology; Occupational medicine; Pain; Participation; Public health. Hygiene-occupational medicine; Questionnaires; randomized controlled trial; Randomized controlled trials; resistance training; Shoulder; shoulder pain; Slaughterhouses; Sports training; Strength training; Training; wai; Weight Lifting; work ability; work ability index; work disability; Workers; Workplace; workplace strength training; Workplaces; Young Adult
• ISSN: 0355-3140; 1795-990X
• DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.3419

Objective Imbalance between work demands and individual resources can lead to musculoskeletal disorders and reduced work ability. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of two contrasting interventions on work ability among slaughterhouse workers with chronic pain and work disability. Methods Sixty-six slaughterhouse workers with upper-limb chronic pain and work disability were randomly allocated to 10 weeks of either strength training for the shoulder, arm, and hand muscles (3 times per week, 10 minutes per session) or ergonomie training (usual care control group) from September to December 2012. The outcome measure was the change from baseline to 10-week follow-up in the work ability index (WAI). Results A priori hypothesis testing showed a groupxtime interaction for WAI (P