The Effectiveness of a Multidisciplinary Exercise Program in Managing Work-Related Musculoskeletal Symptoms for Low-Skilled Workers in the Low-Income Community: A Pre-Post-Follow-Up Study

Abstract

Studies on work-related musculoskeletal symptoms (WRMSs) have been conducted mainly on different types of workforce but not many on low-skilled workers. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of a multidisciplinary exercise program in decreasing the number of body parts with WRMSs for low-skilled workers. This study used a repeated-measures, single-group design. One hundred and five (105) workers participated in eight weekly 90-min sessions (including 45-min workshops and 45-min exercises) in low-income community settings. The exercise program involved a 21-movement stretching exercise and a 10-movement muscle-strengthening exercise. Questionnaire and health-assessment data were collected at the baseline (N = 105) and immediately after the 8-week program (n = 86). The average age of the 105 participants was 50.5 ± 8.7 years (ranging from 31 to 67). Over 80% (n = 87) of them were female, 68.6% (n = 72) were married, and 68.6% (n = 72) had completed secondary school. They reported an average of three body parts with WRMSs at baseline (T0). By the end of the eight weeks (T1), the participants had reduced the number of WRMS-affected body parts, job stress, and incidences of working through pain, and had improved spine flexibility and handgrip strength. The factors significantly affecting the reduction in the number of body parts with WRMSs were change in the workstyle of working through pain, and self-rated health status. Our study has demonstrated that a community-based multidisciplinary program can reduce the number of body parts affected by WRMSs in low-skilled workers in low-income communities.

Predictors of work-related musculoskeletal symptoms in shoulders among nursing assistants working in nursing homes

“…One study found that even when NAs were entitled to sick leave, they would continue to work because they did not want their co-workers to have to take up their work ( Ching et al, 2017 ). As well, an intervention study of low-skilled workers ( Cheung et al, 2019 ) suggested that improving the workstyle of working through pain could significantly reduce the number of body parts with WRMSs ( Cheung et al, 2019 ). Redesigning the work may be the essential element to maintaining the musculoskeletal health of NAs.…”

“…Furthermore, employers could consider organizing multidisciplinary exercise programs aiming to teach NAs how to prevent and manage their WRMSs through stretching exercises and accurate workstyle knowledge. An eight-week community-based multidisciplinary exercise program for low-skilled workers has demonstrated the reduction of WRMSs symptoms, incidences of working through pain and improved self-rated health status ( Cheung et al, 2019 ). Similar programs could be adopted in NHs to enhance their NAs’ musculoskeletal health.…”