We found inconsistent evidence that the use of an arm support or an alternative mouse may or may not reduce the incidence of neck or shoulder MSDs .
For other physical ergonomic interventions there is no evidence of an effect .
For organisational interventions , in the form of supplementary breaks , there is very low- quality evidence of an effect on upper limb discomfort .
For training and multifaceted interventions there is no evidence of an effect on upper limb pain or discomfort .
BACKGROUND Work-related upper limb and neck musculoskeletal disorders ( MSDs ) are one of the most common occupational disorders worldwide .
Studies have shown that the percentage of office workers that suffer from MSDs ranges from 20 to 60 per cent .
The direct and indirect costs of work-related upper limb MSDs have been reported to be high in Europe , Australia , and the United States .
Although ergonomic interventions are likely to reduce the risk of office workers developing work-related upper limb and neck MSDs , the evidence is unclear .
This is an up date of a Cochrane Review which was last published in 2012 .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of physical , cognitive and organisational ergonomic interventions , or combinations of those interventions for the prevention of work-related upper limb and neck MSDs among office workers .
Can a New Behaviorally Oriented Training Process to Improve Lifting Technique Prevent Occupationally Related Back Injuries Due to Lifting?
Study Design . A prospect i ve r and omized control trial . Objective . To determine the degree to which a new behavior-based lift training program ( LiftTrainer ™ ; Ascension Technology , Burlington , VT ) could reduce the incidence of  low back disorder in distribution center jobs that require repetitive lifting . Summary of Background Data . Most studies show programs aim ed at training lifting techniques to be ineffective in preventing low back disorders , which may be due to their conceptual rather than behavioral learning approach . Methods . A total of 2144 employees in 19 distribution centers were r and omized into either the LiftTrainer ™ program or a video control group . In the LiftTrainer ™ program , participants were individually trained in up to 5 , 30-minute sessions while instrumented with motion capture sensors to quantify the L5/S1 moments . Twelve months following the initial training , injury data were obtained from company records . Results . Survival analyses ( Kaplan-Meier ) indicated that there was no difference in injury rates between the 2 training groups . Likewise , there was no difference in the turnover rates . However , those with a low ( < 30 Nm ) average twisting moment at the end of the first session experienced a significantly ( P < 0.005 ) lower rate of low back disorder than controls . Conclusions . While overall the LiftTrainer ™ program was not effective , those with twisting moments below 30 Nm reported fewer injuries , suggesting a shift in focus for “ safe ” lifting programs
We found inconsistent evidence that the use of an arm support or an alternative mouse may or may not reduce the incidence of neck or shoulder MSDs .
For other physical ergonomic interventions there is no evidence of an effect .
For organisational interventions , in the form of supplementary breaks , there is very low- quality evidence of an effect on upper limb discomfort .
For training and multifaceted interventions there is no evidence of an effect on upper limb pain or discomfort .
BACKGROUND Work-related upper limb and neck musculoskeletal disorders ( MSDs ) are one of the most common occupational disorders worldwide .
Studies have shown that the percentage of office workers that suffer from MSDs ranges from 20 to 60 per cent .
The direct and indirect costs of work-related upper limb MSDs have been reported to be high in Europe , Australia , and the United States .
Although ergonomic interventions are likely to reduce the risk of office workers developing work-related upper limb and neck MSDs , the evidence is unclear .
This is an up date of a Cochrane Review which was last published in 2012 .
OBJECTIVES To assess the effects of physical , cognitive and organisational ergonomic interventions , or combinations of those interventions for the prevention of work-related upper limb and neck MSDs among office workers .