Worksite physical activity breaks: Perspectives on feasibility of implementation

Abstract

Employees and supervisors at various worksites believed that it is feasible and desirable to offer 10-minute physical activity breaks using videos during the workday.

Stand up, stand out. Feasibility of an active break targeting prolonged sitting in university students

“…The relative simplicity of the video, its low cost, and ease of delivery compares favorably to other interventions targeting sedentary behavior and increases the likelihood of it being adopted as a feasible intervention. 18 No significant differences were found between participants from the different courses which consisted primarily of physiotherapy and nursing students, two professions for which health promotion is a key component of their role. Through their studies, these students may have more awareness of the negative consequences of sedentary behavior than other student groups, making them more open and accepting of such an intervention.…”

“…8 Post-intervention benefits of improved alertness and energy levels were reported in the student feedback, mirroring the positive responses of school-age students and employees to similar active break interventions within other settings. 18,21 As uninterrupted lecture-based sitting is associated with self-reported sleepiness in students, activities of a physically active nature that result in a boost of energy and improved mental alertness are likely to positively influence perceptions of the intervention. 30 There was a high level of agreement (84.9%-93.4%) with statements relating to appropriateness, defined as the "perceived fit, relevance, or compatibility of the innovation or evidence-based practice for a given practice setting, provider, or consumer."…”

“…Using qualified fitness instructors from the Trinity Sport team to deliver the exercises, further enhanced the appropriateness of the intervention and avoided the sense of discomfort sometimes attributed to a peer or colleague leading the active break. 18 Special consideration was taken to ensure that the video was accessible to people with disabilities or injuries, with the inclusion of one instructor who performed the exercises in sitting and only one participant in this study reported they were unable to fully complete the exercises. Tailoring the video to specifically suit the cohort and setting in these ways may have enhanced its relevance, a factor shown to promote employee uptake of similar interventions in the workplace.…”

“…8,17 Previous research has focused primarily on the effect of active breaks in schools and workplaces. 18,19 In schools, active breaks have been found to have positive effects on physical activity levels of children, increasing the time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, as well as step count. 20 Academic performance and classroom behavior, such as the time spent on task behavior during lessons, also improved.…”

Bewegende Pause: Der Einfluss einer Bewegungsintervention auf die kognitive Leistungsfähigkeit im Arbeitskontext

“…Die Effektivität akuter koordinativer Übungen hinsichtlich der Konzentration bestätigen auch Budde et al (2008) Die Ergebnisse zeigen, dass das Format der Bewegungspause im betrieblichen Rahmen durchführbar ist, auf eine hohe Teilnahmebereitschaft stößt und Aspekte der kognitiven Leistungsfähigkeit sowohl kurz-als auch mittelfristig fördern kann. Das Bewegungspausenkonzept hat sich auch in anderen Studien im Hinblick auf die Steigerung der körperlichen Aktivität bewährt (Taylor et al 2013, Lara et al 2008, Bramante et al 2018 und konnte als wirksame Methode zur Steigerung der Arbeitsleistung und Produktivität bestätigt werden (Naphket et al 2014, Galinksy et al 2007, Wendsche et al 2016. Im Vergleich zu anderen Interventionsstrategien in Form von Steh-oder dynamischen Arbeitsplätzen, die zwar auf physischer Ebene wirksam sind, da sie eine Abwechslung zum vorwiegend sitzenden Verhalten darstellen (Barr-Andersson et al 2011), ist die entwickelte Maßnahme vor allem hinsichtlich der Kognitionsförderung bedeutend.…”