Results Level of evidence from 54 high and medium quality studies showed moderate evidence of a positive effect of physical exercise .
Within this domain , there was strong evidence of a positive effect of workplace strength training .
There was limited evidence for ergonomics and strong evidence for no benefit of participatory ergonomics , multifaceted interventions , and stress management .
No intervention domains were associated with “ negative effects ” .
Conclusions The evidence synthesis recommends that implementing strength training at the workplace can reduce MSD  among workers with physically dem and ing work .
In regard to workplace ergonomics , there was not enough evidence from the scientific literature to guide current practice s. Based on the scientific literature , participatory ergonomics and multifaceted workplace interventions seem to have no beneficial effect on reducing MSD among this group of workers .
Purpose This systematic review investigates the effectiveness of workplace interventions to rehabilitate musculoskeletal disorders ( MSDs ) among employees with physically dem and ing work .
Effect of two contrasting interventions on upper limb chronic pain and disability: a randomized controlled trial.
BACKGROUND Chronic pain and disability of the arm , shoulder , and h and severely affect labor market participation . Ergonomic training and education is the default strategy to reduce physical exposure and thereby prevent aggravation of pain . An alternative strategy could be to increase physical capacity of the worker by physical conditioning . OBJECTIVES To investigate the effect of 2 contrasting interventions , conventional ergonomic training ( usual care ) versus resistance training , on pain and disability in individuals with upper limb chronic pain exposed to highly repetitive and forceful manual work . STUDY DESIGN Examiner-blinded , parallel-group r and omized controlled trial with allocation concealment . SETTING Slaughterhouses located in Denmark , Europe . METHODS Sixty-six adults with chronic pain in the shoulder , elbow/forearm , or h and /wrist and work disability were r and omly allocated to 10 weeks of specific resistance training for the shoulder , arm , and h and muscles for 3 x 10 minutes per week , or ergonomic training and education ( usual care control group ) .  Pain intensity ( average of shoulder , arm , and h and , scale 0 - 10 ) was the primary outcome , and disability ( Work module of DASH question naire ) as well as isometric shoulder and wrist muscle strength were secondary outcomes . RESULTS Pain intensity , disability , and muscle strength improved more following resistance training than usual care ( P < 0.001 , P = 0.05 , P < 0.0001 , respectively [ corrected ] ) . Pain intensity decreased by 1.5 points ( 95 % confidence interval -2.0 to -0.9 ) following resistance training compared with usual care , corresponding to an effect size of 0.91 ( Cohen 's d ) . LIMITATIONS Blinding of participants is not possible in behavioral interventions . However , at baseline outcome expectations of the 2 interventions were similar . CONCLUSION Resistance training at the workplace results in clinical relevant improvements in pain , disability , and muscle strength in adults with upper limb chronic pain exposed to highly repetitive and forceful manual work . TRIAL REGISTRATION NCT01671267
Results Level of evidence from 54 high and medium quality studies showed moderate evidence of a positive effect of physical exercise .
Within this domain , there was strong evidence of a positive effect of workplace strength training .
There was limited evidence for ergonomics and strong evidence for no benefit of participatory ergonomics , multifaceted interventions , and stress management .
No intervention domains were associated with “ negative effects ” .
Conclusions The evidence synthesis recommends that implementing strength training at the workplace can reduce MSD  among workers with physically dem and ing work .
In regard to workplace ergonomics , there was not enough evidence from the scientific literature to guide current practice s. Based on the scientific literature , participatory ergonomics and multifaceted workplace interventions seem to have no beneficial effect on reducing MSD among this group of workers .
Purpose This systematic review investigates the effectiveness of workplace interventions to rehabilitate musculoskeletal disorders ( MSDs ) among employees with physically dem and ing work .