Association of physical workload and leisure time physical activity with incident mobility limitations: a follow-up study

Abstract

Although leisure time physical activity prevents development of mobility decline, high workload seems to accelerate the progression of mobility limitations among both those with active and sedentary leisure time. Therefore, efforts should be made to recommend people to engage in physical activity regardless of their physical workload.

Changes in working conditions and physical health functioning among midlife and ageing employees

“…Our findings on the effects of adverse physical and psychosocial working conditions on physical health functioning confirm those from previous studies (8)(9)(10)(11)(12)(13)(14)(15)(16). In particular, they extend the existing research by providing novel evidence on the effects of changes in these working conditions.…”

“…In addition, previous studies have indicated that physically demanding working conditions, such as repetitive monotonous work or lifting (8)(9)(10)(11)(12), and psychosocially demanding working conditions, such as low job control or high job demands (13)(14)(15)(16), are associated with poorer physical functioning among midlife and older employees. However, evidence on the health effects of changes in these working conditions is insufficient, especially for physical working conditions.…”

Pre-retirement physical working conditions and changes in physical health functioning during retirement transition process

“…Our findings of the adverse effects of high physical workload on physical health functioning are in line with previous studies (5)(6)(7)(8), but moreover, they extend the existing research by providing new evidence of the association between pre-retirement physical working conditions and changes in physical health functioning during retirement process, one of the major life transitions. Furthermore, previous studies have had a narrower focus examining the effect of physical workload only, overlooking the possible effects of other physical working conditions.…”

“…Adverse physical working conditions are potentially important risk factors for declining physical health par-ticularly later in life. For example, previous studies have suggested that physically demanding working conditions, such as repetitive monotonous work or lifting (5)(6)(7)(8), are associated with poorer physical health functioning among midlife and older employees. Other studies have further indicated that exposure to high physical workload is associated with lower physical health functioning also after retirement (7,9).…”

Leisure-Time and Occupational Physical Activity in Early and Late Adulthood in Relation to Later Life Physical Functioning

“…It has been reported that midlife physically strenuous work, excess body weight, smoking, and the presence of chronic conditions predict frailty and poorer muscle strength in later life 9,10 , and high body mass index (BMI), low handgrip strength, impaired squatting and running difficulties predict walking limitations 11 . Physical inactivity in leisure time earlier in life correlates with later life physical functioning and frailty 12,13 , but the type of physical activity (PA) modifies the associations 14,15 . A study by Hinrichs at al.…”