@Article{Martimo2010, author = "Martimo, Kari-Pekka and Shiri, Rahman and Miranda, Helena and Ketola, Ritva and Varonen, Helena and Viikari-Juntura, Eira", title = "Effectiveness of an ergonomic intervention on the productivity of workers with upper-extremity disorders – a randomized controlled trial", journal = "Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health", year = "2010", month = "Jan", day = "36", number = "1", pages = "25--33", keywords = "ergonomic intervention; ergonomics; fear-avoidance beliefs; MSD; musculoskeletal disorder; presenteeism; productivity; randomized controlled trial; RCT; upper-extremity disorder; work style; worker", abstract = "'
'
OBJECTIVES ': 'The aim of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of an ergonomic intervention on productivity loss at work caused by upper-extremity disorders (UED).
''
METHODS ': 'Workers with medically verified UED were invited to participate. The intervention consisted of a physician contacting the worker’s supervisor and an occupational physiotherapist conducting an ergonomic assessment at the worksite. Before and after the intervention, the employees self-assessed UED-related productivity loss (ie, decreased quality and quantity of the daily work output). We tested for differences between groups at 8 and subsequently 12 weeks. We also applied generalized estimating equation (GEE) to analyze repeated measures data.
''
RESULTS ': 'Altogether 177 employees were randomized. The overall participation rate was 88%. At baseline, 54% of the intervention group and 58% of the control group reported productivity loss. The magnitude of productivity loss was 17% and 20%, respectively. At 8 weeks, both the proportion and magnitude of productivity loss were lower in the intervention than the control group, but the differences were statistically significant only at 12 weeks (proportion 25% versus 51%, magnitude 7% versus 18%, P=0.001 for both). Using GEE analyses, we also found the differences to be statistically significant (proportion 38% versus 52%, magnitude 12% versus 18%). The intervention only benefitted employees with 0–20% loss of productivity at baseline, not those with a higher initial productivity loss.
''
CONCLUSIONS ': 'Early ergonomic intervention, in addition to adequate medical care, is effective in preventing and restoring self-reported productivity loss associated with UED.
", issn = "0355-3140", doi = "10.5271/sjweh.2880", url = "https://www.sjweh.fi/show_abstract.php?abstract_id=2880", url = "https://doi.org/10.5271/sjweh.2880" }