Work-related Activity Research Articles

Work-related physical activity and psychological distress among women in different occupations: a cross-sectional study

BackgroundRecent evidence suggests that work-related physical activity may not have the same mental health benefits as leisure-time physical activity. Further, work-related physical activity is likely to include a variety of different behaviours for people with different occupations. As such, the aim of this study was to determine if occupation type moderated the association between work-related physical activity and psychological distress.MethodsA randomly selected sample of 1080 women from Melbourne, Australia completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ) and General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-30), and reported their current occupation.ResultsLinear regression analyses indicated that occupation significantly moderated the association between work-related walking and psychological distress (F [8, 55] = 2.26, p = .036). Given evidence of moderation, we fitted linear regression models to test the associations between work-related physical activity and psychological distress for three separate groups; professionals, sales and services workers, and tradespersons. Female tradespersons who engaged in a low (B = − 3.81, p = .006) or high amount of work-related walking (B = − 3.23, p = .029), had significantly lower psychological distress symptoms than those who engaged in no work-related walking. There were no significant associations between work-related physical activity of any intensity and psychological distress for professionals, or sales and service workers.ConclusionsGiven the relationship does not exist across all occupations, work-related physical activity should not be promoted above and beyond leisure-time physical activity. However, walking at work may be important in reducing psychological distress for some people and should therefore, not be discounted.

Physical Activity, Sedentary Behavior and Correlates Among Students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences

Exercise and physical activity have well known physical and mental benefits, especially during students' life .This study was conducted to evaluate physical activity among students of Tehran University of Medical Sciences (TUMS). We have randomly recruited students of TUMS in the 2017-2018 academic year to report their routine physical activity through filling out the Persian version of the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire as well as demographic characteristics among 12 different schools. Accordingly, we classified the physical activity of participants into three groups (high, moderate, and low). From a total of 425 students, data from 417 were analyzed. The age range of students was from 18 to 48, with a mean (SD) of 25.8 (5.43) years. 53.5% and 46.5% of participants were male and female, respectively. Students were classified into 3 categories of high (41%), medium (38%), and low (21%) physical activity. In the present study, 87.3% and 12.7% of students were active and inactive, respectively. There was a significant difference in the overall activity level between genders and work-related activity between students of clinical and non-clinical settings. No significant differences were found between physical activity level and other demographic data. Our results showed that the majority of students had a physical activity of more than 600 MET-min/week. No significant relationship was found between physical activity and age, school, GPA, and BMI. Compared to the national activity report, students of TUMS were at the proper level of physical activity. However, further research is needed to confirm these results.

The effect of retirement on biomedical and behavioral risk factors for cardiovascular and metabolic disease

Retirement is a major life event potentially associated with changes in relevant risk factors for cardiovascular and metabolic conditions. This study analyzes the effect of retirement on behavioral and biomedical risk factors for chronic disease, together with subjective health parameters using Southern German epidemiological data. We used panel data from the KORA cohort study, consisting of 11,168 observations for individuals 45–80 years old. Outcomes included health behavior (alcohol, smoking, physical activity), biomedical risk factors (body-mass-index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), total cholesterol/HDL quotient, systolic/diastolic blood pressure), and subjective health (SF12 mental and physical scales, self-rated health). We applied a parametric regression discontinuity design based on age thresholds for pension eligibility. Robust results after p-value corrections for multiple testing showed an increase in BMI in early retirees (at the age of 60) [β = 1.11, corrected p-val. < 0.05] and an increase in CHO/HDL in regular retirees (age 65) [β = 0.47, corrected p-val. < 0.05]. Stratified analyses indicate that the increase in BMI might be driven by women and low educated individuals retiring early, despite increasing physical activity. The increase in CHO/HDL might be driven by men retiring regularly, alongside an increase in subjective physical health. Blood pressure also increased, but the effect differs by retirement timing and sex and is not always robust to sensitivity analysis checks. Our study indicates that retirement has an impact on different risk factors for chronic disease, depending on timing, sex and education. Regular male, early female, and low educated retirees should be further investigated as potential high-risk groups for worsening risk factors after retirement. Future research should investigate if and how these results are linked: in fact, especially in the last two groups, the increase in leisure time physical activity might not be enough to compensate for the loss of work-related physical activity, leading thus to an increase in BMI.

“They say jump, we say how high?” conditionality, sanctioning and incentivising disabled people into the UK labour market

This paper focuses on the experiences of disabled people in the UK assigned to the Employment and Support Allowance Work Related Activity Group. Specifically, it considers the impact of processes of conditionality and sanctions on this group. The research was designed, conducted and analysed collaboratively between a disabled people’s user-led organisation (DPULO) and an academic team. The research documents the negative impact that processes of conditionality and sanctions had upon participants. The results highlighted 3 main themes: a lack of equality between disabled claimants and other claimants; significant impact of issues of compliance within a regime that imposes conditions and sanctions; and alternative ways of experiencing and responding to this policy regime. Suggestions are made as to how to involve disabled people in decision-making at policy level to ensure that such conditionality and sanctioning are not used when there is clear evidence that highlights the damaging and detrimental effects of these processes. Points of interest This research looks at how changes to welfare support in the UK have had a negative impact upon the health and wellbeing of disabled people. The research found that processes of sanctions on welfare payments were ineffective in getting disabled people to engage in work-related activity. Instead they create a range of punishing conditions that are often negative to health. The impact of sanctions was life threatening for some participants. The underlying fear instilled by the threat of sanctions meant many participants described living in a state of constant anxiety. This did not enable people to engage in work related activity. Participants described camaraderie in relationships of mutual support to be helpful in counteracting the negative impacts of sanctions. These findings are of particular relevance for the expansion of business models of welfare across a number of international policy settings. This research recommends more active engagement between welfare system researchers, government and Disabled People User Led Organisations (DPULOs) to develop alternative ways of engaging Disabled people in work related activity.

Impact of chronic plantar fasciitis on work-related activity

Objective: Compare the real need for rest of chronic plantar fasciitis patients with the leave of absence time and criteria used by national and international technical medical expert examination manuals. Methods: We conducted a review of the medical literature from 2013 to 2018, selecting only randomized controlled clinical trials on the treatment of chronic plantar fasciitis. National and international medical expert examination manuals were also selected. The treatment time for chronic plantar fasciitis was then compared with the leave of absence time recommended by the manuals. Results: Of the six articles selected, we ascertained that three articles evaluating second-line treatment managed to reduce the VAS by 60% after 4 weeks, one after 3 months, one after 6 months, and one that showed no improvement at all. In all studies, no control group receiving first-line treatment alone achieved a 60% reduction in the VAS during the follow-up period. The evaluated manuals recommend leave from work ranging from zero to 21 days, with only two using the criterion of the type of work performed by the employee for the expert decision. Conclusion: We observed that none of the medical expert examination manuals provides support for the medical expert to grant leave to workers with chronic plantar fasciitis from their work-related activities to receive secondary treatment for at least four weeks. In addition, stratification by acute or chronic disease is not observed. Two manuals scale leave time by type of activity. Level of Evidence III; Economic and Decision Analyses; Analyses Based on Limited Costs and Alternatives.

Physical activity of physiotherapists in Germany: a cross-sectional study

AimWe aimed to quantify the work-related physical activity of physiotherapists in Germany.Subjects and methodsWe included working physiotherapists aged between 18 and 65 years in Germany. We excluded physiotherapists working less than 20 h a week. We measured our primary outcome, work-related physical activity, by the average number of steps taken daily during work, standardized on an 8-h working day. We controlled the main outcome for potential confounders, such as working hours per week, age, weekday, and clinical setting (outpatient vs. inpatient), by multivariate linear regression analysis. We used R statistics for all statistical analyses.ResultsWe included 35 participants (7 outpatient and 28 inpatient), with a median age category of 20–29 years. Our participants had a mean work-related physical activity of 6614 steps (95% confidence interval, CI [6118; 7111]) per workday. Higher age, outpatient clinical setting, and working full time were associated with lower step count, but these associations were not statistically significant.ConclusionsThe work-related physical activity of physiotherapists in Germany is comparable with results from other countries and can be regarded as ‘low’. Our result, however, might be affected by volunteer bias and gender effects. Further research should identify high-risk groups in the profession for cost-effective prevention.

Patient-Reported Lupus Flare Symptoms Are Associated with Worsened Patient Outcomes and Increased Economic Burden.

Lupus flares significantly contribute to health resource utilization and hospitalizations. Identification of flare activity may be hindered since validated assessment scales are rarely used in clinical practice and flare severity may fall below clinician-assessed thresholds. Therefore, patient-reported outcomes of lupus flare frequency are important assessment tools for lupus management. To better understand the relationship between lupus flares as reported by persons with lupus and specific direct and indirect costs, including hospital admission, unplanned urgent care (UC)/emergency department (ED) visits, work productivity loss, and nonwork activity impairment. In this cross-sectional analysis, persons with lupus were drawn from 2 enriched sampling sources. Data were collected via an online survey and included individuals with self-reported physician's diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus, skin or discoid lupus, or lupus nephritis. Respondents were asked the total number of hospitalizations and ED/UC visits for any reason and for lupus-related hospitalizations and ED/UC visits. Work productivity loss and nonwork activity impairment were measured via the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment - General Health scale. The sample was stratified into those with 0 flares, 1-3 flares, 4-6 flares, and 7 or more flares, with 0 flares used as the reference. Chi-square tests for trend and analyses of variance were used to evaluate differences among flare frequency groups. Multivariable regression modeling was conducted to evaluate the independent relationship of flare frequency to health care use and productivity loss. We studied 1,288 survey respondents with known flare frequency in the past 12 months. Flare frequency increased with duration of illness. The mean number of lupus-related hospital admissions was significantly associated with increasing flare frequency for the total sample (F = 3.9; P < 0.009). Compared to patients with no flare, those who reported flare activities had 1.72-3.13 times higher rates of hospitalizations. The mean number of lupus-related ED/UC visits were also found to be significantly associated with increasing flare frequency for the total sample (F = 23.4; P < 0.001), and rates were increased by 6.98- to 16.12-fold for unplanned ED/UC visits depending on flare frequency. Rates of employment were significantly related to increasing flare frequency. With respect to work-related impairment, absenteeism increased with greater lupus flare frequency (F = 6.2; P < 0.001), as did presenteeism (F = 31.5; P < 0.001) and the combined value of total work productivity loss (F = 30.4; P < 0.001). Mean work-related activity impairment was 12%-32% more among patients who reported flare activities compared to those who reported no flares. Increased lupus-related flare frequency is associated with worsened patient outcomes as measured by increased hospitalizations, visits to the ED/UC, work productivity loss, and activity impairment. This association may be an important indicator of disease severity and resource burden and therefore suggests an unmet need among patients experiencing lupus-related flares. This study was sponsored by Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals via grants to Vedanta Research and The Lupus Foundation of America. Katz received consulting fees from Vedanta Research, which received grant support from Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals to support data collection and analysis. Nelson and Connolly-Strong are employees of Mallinckrodt Pharmaceuticals and are stockholders in the company. Reed is an employee of Vedanta Research. Daly and Topf are employees of the Lupus Foundation of America, which received grant funding to support data collection. This study was a podium presentation at The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) Annual Meeting 2018; October 19-24, 2018; Chicago, IL.

Burden of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus on Work Productivity and Daily Living Activity: A Cross-Sectional Study Among Malaysian Multi-Ethnic Cohort.

This study aims to assess the self-reported work productivity and activity daily living (ADL) impairment among Malaysian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and to examine their associated factors. This cross-sectional study included 167 SLE patients (21 males, 146 females; mean age 38.2±9.8 years; range, 20 to 60 years) recruited from the outpatient Rheumatology and Nephrology clinics. Face-to-face interviews were conducted to record patients' socio- demographics (age, sex, ethnicity, marital status, and occupation) and SLE disease characteristics (system involvement, age onset, and presence of organ damage). Disease activity was assessed using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index-2000 (SLEDAI-2K). Short form 36 (SF-36) was used to determine health-related quality of life (HRQoL) while Work Productivity and Activity Impairment (WPAI) questionnaire was used to assess the four domains of absenteeism, presenteeism, overall work productivity, and non-work related ADL impairment. Univariate analyses and multivariable regression analysis examined the association of demographic variables, SLE disease characteristics, and activity with reduced HRQoL and WPAI scores. The majority of the patients were Malays (59.3%), followed by Chinese (34.7%) and Indian (3.6%) patients. More than two-thirds of the patients reported some degree of impairment in their work productivity and ADL due to the disease. The absenteeism rate was 10.4% in the past one week and their indirect costs were 2,875.17 Malaysian ringgits (US $701.22) in the past seven days. Significant predictors of higher work productivity and ADL impairment scores were higher disease activity, more frequent SLE flares, lupus nephritis, and hematological involvement of SLE. Patients with higher work productivity and ADL impairment scores were also strongly associated with poor QoL. No ethnic disparities of work productivity and ADL impairment were found. Systemic lupus erythematosus significantly affected the overall productivity in work and non-work related activity in our Malaysian multi-ethnic cohort and both impairments were significantly associated with poor QoL.

Ergonomic risk factors and risk exposure level of nursing tasks: association with work-related musculoskeletal disorders in nurses

Objectives To identify the risk exposure level of nursing tasks and explore the association with ergonomic factors such as biomechanical, organisational, psychosocial, and environmental job factors. Also, the association among the risk exposure level of nursing tasks among nurses with the prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs), activity limitation, and physician visits for the past 12 months were analysed. Methods In phase one, 68 registered nurses (median age: 33.5 years, females: 89.70%, males: 10.20%) completed the standardised Nordic musculoskeletal questionnaire (NMQ) and ErgoEnf questionnaire on ergonomic risk factors. In phase two, 25 participants were observed at inpatient care using the workplace ergonomic risk assessment tool (WERA) to profile the risk exposure levels during nursing tasks. Results In the patient repositioning task, 24% of the nurses scored low, 76% scored medium-risk exposure level, and none of the nurses obtained a high-risk exposure level. Biomechanical, environmental, and organisational factors were significantly associated with risk exposure levels (p < .05), while no association was found with the psychosocial factors. Conclusions This study showed a significant association between nursing task-specific risk-exposure scores, ergonomic risk factors and the prevalence of WMDs. The risk exposure scores were significantly associated with the reported WMSDs of the lower back, neck, and hip/thigh regions; these prevented normal activities at least once in the last 12 months. Possible interventions are discussed in the realms of human factors framework.

The association of leisure-time physical activity and walking during commuting to work with depressive symptoms among Japanese workers: A cross-sectional study.

ObjectiveTo examine whether the cross‐sectional association of leisure‐time physical activity and walking during commuting to work with depressive symptoms depends on the level of work‐related physical activity among Japanese workers.MethodsParticipants were 2024 workers aged 19‐69 years in two manufacturing companies in Japan. Leisure‐time physical activity and walking during commuting to work were ascertained via a self‐administered questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were assessed using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES‐D) scale. The odds ratio (OR) of depressive symptoms (CES‐D score ≥16) was estimated by using multiple logistic regression with adjustment for covariates.ResultsLeisure‐time physical activity was inversely associated with depressive symptoms; multivariable‐adjusted ORs (95% confidence intervals) of having depressive symptoms for leisure‐time physical activity were 1.00 (reference), 0.85 (0.64, 1.12), 0.69 (0.51, 0.94), and 0.59 (0.44, 0.80) for 0, >0 to <3.0, 3.0 to <10.0, and ≥10.0 MET‐h/wk, respectively (P for trend <.001). This inverse trend for leisure‐time physical activity was clearer among individuals who had low physical activity at workplace (less than 7.0 MET‐h/d). For walking to work, such an inverse association was not observed.ConclusionLeisure‐time physical activity was associated with fewer depressive symptoms, especially in workers with low work‐related physical activity.

Identification Prevalence of Musculoskeletal Disorders and its Related Factors among Street Cleaners of Isfahan Municipality

Background: Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the major work-related diseases resulting from repetitive motions, awkward postures and exertion of excessive force on joints or an acute trauma. The present study was an attempt to determine the Prevalence and factors associated with Musculoskeletal Disorders among street cleaners of Isfahan Municipality. Methods: the present article is a cross-sectional causal-comparative study conducted on street cleaners of Isfahan Municipality. Cochran's formula was used to select 173 individuals as samples through convenience sampling. The data collection instrument was a researcher-made questionnaire covering demographic data (age, marital status, previous and current work experience, type of physical activity, work-related activity, height and weight of individuals, height and weight of tools, etc.) and specialized data (Nordic Self-Reporting Questionnaire). SPSS software and independent T-test were used to analyze the collected data. Results: 93% of street cleaners experienced musculoskeletal disorders in at least one organ over the past 12 months and factors associated with these disorders reportedly include occupational experience, age, marital status, height and weight of instrument, Body mass index and posture). The musculoskeletal disorders were found to be most prevalent in lower back (33%) and the shoulders (32.9%) and least prevalent in thighs (5%) over the past 12 months. Conclusion: The results showed that musculoskeletal disorders are highly prevalent in different parts of street cleaners’ body, and a variety of factors including work experience, age, marital status, tool height, tool weight, tool grip strength and posture are associated with that. The results also showed that correction of body movements and designing an ergonomic tool commensurate with the physical activity of street cleaners can prevent musculoskeletal disorders among them.

Efficacy of a Self-Help Web-Based Recovery Training in Improving Sleep in Workers: Randomized Controlled Trial in the General Working Population.

BackgroundSleep complaints are among the most prevalent health concerns, especially among workers, which may lead to adverse effects on health and work. Internet-delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for insomnia (iCBT-I) offers the opportunity to deliver effective solutions on a large scale. The efficacy of iCBT-I for clinical samples has been demonstrated in recent meta-analyses, and there is evidence that iCBT-I is effective in the working population with severe sleep complaints. However, to date, there is limited evidence from randomized controlled trials that iCBT-I could also be an effective tool for universal prevention among the general working population regardless of symptom severity. Although increasing evidence suggests that negatively toned cognitive activity may be a key factor for the development and maintenance of insomnia, little is known about how iCBT-I improves sleep by reducing presleep cognitive activity.ObjectiveThis study aimed to examine the efficacy of a self-help internet-delivered recovery training, based on principles of iCBT-I tailored to the work-life domain, among the general working population. General and work-related cognitive activities were investigated as potential mediators of the intervention’s effect.MethodsA sample of 177 workers were randomized to receive either the iCBT-I (n=88) or controls (n=89). The intervention is a Web-based training consisting of six 1-week modules. As the training was self-help, participants received nothing but technical support via email. Web-based self-report assessments were scheduled at baseline, at 8 weeks, and at 6 months following randomization. The primary outcome was insomnia severity. Secondary outcomes included measures of mental health and work-related health and cognitive activity. In an exploratory analysis, general and work-related cognitive activities, measured as worry and work-related rumination, were investigated as mediators.ResultsAnalysis of the linear mixed effects model showed that, relative to controls, participants who received iCBT-I reported significantly lower insomnia severity scores at postintervention (between-group mean difference −4.36; 95% CI −5.59 to − 3.03; Cohen d=0.97) and at 6-month follow-up (between-group difference: −3.64; 95% CI −4.89 to −2.39; Cohen d=0.86). The overall test of group-by-time interaction was significant (P<.001). Significant differences, with small-to-large effect sizes, were also detected for cognitive activity and for mental and work-related health, but not for absenteeism. Mediation analysis demonstrated that work-related rumination (indirect effect: a1b1=−0.80; SE=0.34; 95% boot CI −1.59 to −0.25) and worry (indirect effect: a2b2=−0.37; SE=0.19; 95% boot CI −0.85 to −0.09) mediate the intervention’s effect on sleep.ConclusionsA self-help Web-based recovery training, grounded in the principles of iCBT-I, can be effective in the general working population, both short and long term. Work-related rumination may be a particularly crucial mediator of the intervention’s effect, suggesting that tailoring interventions to the workplace, including components to reduce the work-related cognitive activity, might be important when designing recovery interventions for workers.Trial RegistrationGerman Clinical Trials Register DRKS00007142; https://www.drks.de/DRKS00007142

A Study on the Physical Activities, Mental Health, and Health-Related Quality of Life of Osteoarthritis Patients.

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study was to investigate the physical activities, mental health, and health-related quality of life (HRQOL) of osteoarthritis patients.MethodsThis study was conducted using data from the first year of the 7th Korea National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey. There were 8,150 participants included in the survey, and 665 participants had been diagnosed with osteoarthritis. This study analyzed the measurements of physical activities, depression, and HRQOL in participants with osteoarthritis.ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 67 ± 9.9 years and 83.1% were female. Participants rarely engaged in work-related physical activity, and engaged in leisure-related physical activities infrequently. Most of the participants (85.9%) did not do regular exercise, but 1/3 of the participants walked for over 10 minutes a day. “Pain/discomfort” had the least impact upon HRQOL, and among the depression subcategories, “difficult to sleep and tiredness” had the most impact. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that an adverse HRQOL score was statistically significantly associated with “location changes/physical activities” (p < 0. 01), “depression” (p < 0.001) and “age” (p < 0.001).ConclusionExercise programs should be in place which are manageable in everyday life for the elderly (> 65 years). Changes in daily routine so that patients become more active, should be supported by the family and community, together with assistance in managing psychological problems such as depression.

‘It was a big monetary cut’—A qualitative study on financial toxicity analysing patients’ experiences with cancer costs in Germany

Receiving information about expected costs promptly after a cancer diagnosis through psycho-oncology care or social counselling is crucial for patients to be prepared for the financial impact. Nevertheless, less is known about financial impacts for cancer patients in countries with statutory health insurance. This study aims to explore the full scope of costs that constitute the financial impact of a cancer diagnosis in Germany and to identify the reasons for high financial decline. Semistructured interviews with 39 cancer patients were conducted between May 2017 and April 2018. Narratives were analysed via qualitative content analysis. Several factors influenced cancer patients' indirect costs and direct medical and non-medical costs. For many patients, these changes resulted in higher indirect costs caused by income losses, especially when surcharges for shift work, travel expenses or company benefits ceased and were not reimbursed. Higher direct medical costs were caused by co-payments and additional non-refundable costs. Non-medical costs were reported to increase for some patients and to decrease for others, as for example, leisure activity costs either increasing because of pampering oneself to cope with the diagnosis and undergoing therapy or decreasing because of not being able to participate in leisure activities during therapy. When analysing the financial impacts of individuals' total costs, we found that some patients experienced no financial decline or an overall financial increase. Most patients experienced overall higher costs, and income loss was the main driver of a high financial decline. Nevertheless, decreased non-medical costs due to lower work-related and leisure activity costs could compensate for these higher costs. Cancer patients are confronted with a variety of changes in their financial situations, even in countries with statutory health insurance. Screening for cancer patients with a high risk of financial decline should consider any effects on indirect costs and direct medical and nonmedical costs.

A Qualitative Case Study on Experiences of Universities and Industries Linkages in Nigeria

Experience is seen as a fact or evidence of engaging in doing something e.g. learned a lesson in the classroom, work engagement experience and painful experiences such as a scene of difficulties in work-related activity or event. The experiences of the industries in the employability of graduates are widely explored to build on descriptive research approach geared to examine the employability skills close to the Nigerian context and linkages between universities-industries. The National Youths Service Corps experiences help graduates to know various kinds of industrial practices, work ethics, and integrate the importance of theoretical knowledge gained from the university and incorporate into industrial practice. Extra curricula training experience in university-industry linkages help graduates to perform very effectively and efficiently in some special skills. Internship and modern uses of technological experience help to advance career development in a particular environment and help to know the newest technologies relevant to the industry. This study recommends that universities and industries should enhance linkages among management boards, foster strategic plans and directions, collaborates on research, and create policies for the effective governance of industries linkages for promoting an important institutional approach to build industries linkages. Finally, Universities should improve in various strategies such as offering work experience, work-related learning and employability skills modules, ready for work events, as well as involving industry employers in course design and delivery.

Association of work-related and leisure-time physical activity with workplace food purchases, dietary quality, and health of hospital employees

BackgroundWhile leisure-time physical activity (PA) has been associated with reduced risk of cardiometabolic disease, less is known about the relationship between work-related PA and health. Work-related PA is often not a chosen behavior and may be associated with lower socioeconomic status and less control over job-related activities. This study examined whether high work-related PA and leisure-time PA reported by hospital employees were associated with healthier dietary intake and reductions in cardiometabolic risk.MethodsThis was a cross-sectional analysis of 602 hospital employees who used workplace cafeterias and completed the baseline visit for a health promotion study in 2016–2018. Participants completed the International Physical Activity Questionnaire and clinical measures of weight, blood pressure, HbA1c, and lipids. Healthy Eating Index (HEI) scores were calculated from two 24-h dietary recalls, and a Healthy Purchasing Score was calculated based on healthfulness of workplace food/beverage purchases. Regression analyses examined Healthy Purchasing Score, HEI, and obesity, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes/prediabetes by quartile of work-related PA, leisure-time PA, and sedentary time.ResultsParticipants’ mean age was 43.6 years (SD = 12.2), 79.4% were female, and 81.1% were white. In total, 30.3% had obesity, 20.6% had hypertension, 26.6% had prediabetes/diabetes, and 32.1% had hyperlipidemia. Median leisure-time PA was 12.0 (IQR: 3.3, 28.0) and median work-related PA was 14.0 (IQR: 0.0, 51.1) MET-hours/week. Higher leisure-time PA was associated with higher workplace Healthy Purchasing Score and HEI (p’s < 0.01) and lower prevalence of obesity, diabetes/prediabetes, and hyperlipidemia (p’s < 0.05). Work-related PA was not associated with Healthy Purchasing Score, HEI, or cardiometabolic risk factors. Increased sedentary time was associated with lower HEI (p = 0.02) but was not associated with the workplace Healthy Purchasing Score.ConclusionsEmployees with high work-related PA did not have associated reductions in cardiometabolic risk or have healthier dietary intake as did employees reporting high leisure-time PA. Workplace wellness programs should promote leisure-time PA and healthy food choices for all employees, but programs may need to be customized and made more accessible to meet the unique needs of employees who are physically active at work.Trial registrationThis trial was prospectively registered with clinicaltrials.gov (Identifier: NCT02660086) on January 21, 2016. The first participant was enrolled on September 16, 2016.

Short-wave diathermy in the clinical management of musculoskeletal disorders: a pilot observational study

Musculoskeletal disorders are the most common cause of pain and functional limitation in the general population. The study aim was to evaluate short-wave diathermy (SWD) effects on pain and quality of life in people with musculoskeletal disorders. Eighty participants (31 men, mean age 56 ± 12.49 years) were enrolled, recruiting from outpatient clinics at the Rehabilitation Unit, University Hospital, Padova. Inclusion criteria were pain lasting more than 15 days, pain visual analog scale (VAS) score higher than 50/100 mm, and a diagnosis of osteoarthritis, neck/back pain, or tendinopathies. All participants underwent ten sessions of percutaneous SWD, 3 times/week. Each session lasted 15–20 min, with frequencies of 4 or 8 MHz and heat intensity between 40 and 60 W. Outcomes were assessed before and after treatment. Primary outcome was pain reduction, evaluated by short form McGill pain questionnaire, which includes VAS and present pain intensity (PPI). Secondary outcome was improvement in social and work-related activity limitations. Participants were grouped based on classification of pain [nociceptive and neuropathic pain (group A) vs nociceptive only (group B)]. VAS and PPI improved significantly (p < 0.01). No difference in pain reduction (VAS and PPI) emerged between the groups. Limitations due to pain in work-related and non-work-related activities decreased (p < 0.01); use of pain medications was reduced at T1 vs T0 (p < 0.01). Our results suggest that SWD is effective in reducing musculoskeletal pain in the short term, providing relief and improving quality of life.

Return to Sport and Work After High Tibial Osteotomy With Concomitant Medial Meniscal Allograft Transplant

(1) To examine the timeline of return to sport (RTS) and return to work (RTW) after high tibial osteotomy (HTO) with concomitant medial meniscal allograft transplant (MAT), (2) to evaluate the degree of function on RTS and RTW, and (3) to identify reasons patients do not return to sport- or work-related activity. Patients undergoing HTO plus MAT were reviewed retrospectively at a minimum of 2years postoperatively. The exclusion criterion was any concomitant procedure except cartilage restoration for focal full-thickness medial femoral condylar defects. Patients completed a subjective sport and work questionnaire, a visual analog scale for pain, the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation, and a satisfaction questionnaire. Twenty-two patients (aged 35.1 ± 8.1years) were included at 9.3 ± 3.7years postoperatively. Sixteen patients participated in sports within 3years before surgery, and 14 patients (87.5%) returned to sport by 9.7 ± 3.8months postoperatively. Only 7 patients (43.8%) returned to their preinjury status. Eighteen patients were employed within 3years before surgery, and all patients returned to work; however, only 16 patients (88.9%) returned at the same occupational intensity by 3.1 ± 2.4months. The rates of RTW for light-, medium-, and heavy-intensity occupations were 100%, 75.0%, and 85.7%, respectively, whereas the duration of RTW was 2.1months, 2.3months, and 4.8months, respectively. Of the patients, 20 (90.9%) reported at least 1 complaint postoperatively, with 13 patients (59.1%) returning to the operating room for recurrent symptoms, including 1 patient who received a knee replacement at 7.75years postoperatively. In patients with medial meniscal deficiency and varus deformity, HTO plus MAT provided high rates of RTS (87.5%) and RTW (100%) by 9.7months and 3.1months, respectively. It is imperative that clinicians manage expectations because patients may RTS and RTW after HTO plus MAT; however, return to high-intensity activities or occupations may be unlikely or delayed. Level IV, retrospective case series.

Quality of life and objective functional impairment in lumbar spinal stenosis: a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis of moderators

BackgroundLumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) is a common degenerative spine disease associated with a strong impairment in various quality of life areas, particularly the ability to perform work-related activity. Depression is...

Relationship between lifestyle pattern and blood pressure - Iranian national survey

We aimed to evaluate the relationship between different lifestyle patterns and blood pressure. This study is based on the national survey of the risk factors for non-communicable diseases in Iran in 2012. A total of 8244 people aged 25–70 years old have been enrolled in the survey. Clustering on the individual data of lifestyle factors (nutrition, physical activity, and smoking) were carried out using self-organizing neural network method. Multivariable regression models were used to determine the relationship between blood pressure and the clusters. This study revealed seven lifestyle clusters in the national survey. The first cluster had a healthier lifestyle (15%), and the rest of the clusters had at least one or more lifestyle-related risk factors. Among all the clusters, people in two clusters, i.e. one characterized by consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages, salt, and fast foods, and the other one characterized by physical inactivity, were more exposed to the risk of hypertension (odds ratios of 1.44 and 1.12, respectively). People in another cluster who were 100% smokers and had a very high level of work-related physical activity were about 30% less likely to experience elevated blood pressure. Although a lifestyle with cigarette smoking was associated with a reduction in blood pressure, this might be due to other related factors, such as work-related physical activity, which lower blood pressure. Of course, this hypothesis still needs to be further studied in the future.