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 .
The effectiveness of sit-stand workstations for changing office workers’ sitting time: results from the Stand@Work randomized controlled trial pilot
Background Prolonged sitting time is detrimental for health . Individuals with desk-based occupations tend to sit a great deal and sit-st and workstations have been identified as a potential strategy to reduce sitting time . Hence , the objective of the current study was to examine the effects of using sit-st and workstations on office workers ’ sitting time at work and over the whole day . Methods We conducted a r and omized controlled trial pilot with crossover design and waiting list control in Sydney , Australia from September 2011 to July 2012 ( n = 42 ; 86 % female ; mean age 38 ± 11 years ) . Participants used a sit-st and workstation for four weeks in the intervention condition . In the time-matched control condition , participants received nothing and crossed over to the intervention condition after four weeks . The primary outcomes , sitting , st and ing and walking time at work , were assessed before and after using the workstations with ActivPALs and self-report question naires . Secondary outcomes , domain-specific sitting over the whole day , were assessed by self-report . Linear mixed models estimated changes in outcomes adjusting for measurement time , study grouping and covariates . Results Intervention participants significantly reduced objective ly assessed time spent sitting at work by 73 min/workday ( 95 % CI : -106,-39 ) and increased st and ing time at work by 65 min/workday ( 95 % CI : 47 , 83 ) ; these changes were significant relative to controls ( p = 0.004 and p < 0.001 , respectively ) . Total sitting time significantly declined in intervention participants ( -80 min/workday ; 95 % CI : -155 , -4 ) . Conclusions This study shows that introducing sit-st and workstations in the office can reduce desk-based workers ’ sitting time at work in the short term . Larger scale studies on more representative sample s are needed to determine the public health impact of sit-st and workstations . Trial registration
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 .