Beyond Ergonomics Training: Added Effects of a Supervised, Equipment-Free Workplace Exercise Program on Musculoskeletal Symptoms, Sleep, and Burnout in Artisanal Pastry Workers: A Randomized Controlled Trial
Randomized trial demonstrates that supervised workplace exercise reduces musculoskeletal symptoms in pastry workers, indicating clear benefits beyond standard ergonomics education.
Key Points
To determine whether adding a supervised, equipment-free exercise program to workplace ergonomics education improves musculoskeletal symptoms, sleep, and burnout among artisanal pastry workers.
Exploratory randomized controlled trial (NCT07447180) conducted among 60 male börek pastry workers recruited from 47 shops in Istanbul, Turkey.
Participants were randomized to receive workplace ergonomics education alone or ergonomics education combined with a 12-week supervised, equipment-free exercise program.
Symptomatic body regions measured by the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire decreased from 4.73 to 3.17 in the exercise group but not with education alone (baseline-adjusted difference, −1.41; 95% CI, −1.94 to −0.87).
All secondary endpoints, including upper-limb disability (QuickDASH), sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index), and burnout (Maslach Burnout Inventory), significantly favored the added exercise group.