Physical exercise and health education for neck and shoulder complaints among sedentary workers.

Abstract

To assess the effectiveness of 3 different health promotion exercise programs for work-related shoulder and neck pain. Comparative study design. A total of 178 employees were recruited and grouped. Those in the "Self-exercise group" (n = 56) were given a lecture about the exercise program and then performed the program by themselves during their office break. "Team-exercise group I" (n = 69) performed the program once under the supervision of a physiotherapist after the lecture. "Team-exercise group II" (n = 14) performed the program twice; once under a physiotherapist's supervision. A modified Nordic questionnaire, pain threshold and cervical range of motion were used to evaluate the effect of intervention. There were 39 subjects in the reference group. When daily change of pain threshold (post-work-pre-work) was treated as an improvement index, the odds ratios for the self-exercise group, team-exercise group I and team-exercise group II were 1.39, 4.63 (p < 0.05) and 7.06 (p < 0.05), respectively, compared with the reference group. A dose-response effect of intervention intensity was demonstrated. An intensive team-exercise program is beneficial in reducing neck and shoulder symptoms in sedentary workers.