Specific exercise to resuce wmsds among computer users.

Abstract

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) have been reported to be common disorders among computer users. Ergonomic intervention such as workstation adjustment for one with WMSDS was proved to be helpful to reduce the symptoms. To manage the WMSDs, exercise is prescribed by physical therapists to help improve the disorders and workers' physical fitness. This study aimed to investigate the effect of specific exercise on the WMSD symptoms among computer users. Self-administrated questionnaire and physical examination were accomplished for 192 computer users. It was found that the majority of disorders in computer users were bone, joint, ligament, muscular disorder, and nerve disorder around the areas of low back, shoulder, and neck respectively. Specific exercises were then designed to improve those disorders. The exercise and ergonomic basic knowledge were provided in class. There were 16 stretching exercises for muscles around shoulders, neck, trunk and neural tissues of the upper limbs. The exercise was not obligatory and subjects were informed to exercise during their short break. After 2 months of intervention, another set of self administrated questionnaires was distributed to 59 workers. Of 53 workers who completed the questionnaire, 83 % of them attended the class, while the rest did not. Of 44 workers who attended the class, half of them have exercised regularly based on the exercise taught in the class and all of them reported at least one area of the disorders being better. Twenty workers (45.45%) have performed other types of exercise such as walking, jogging, and aerobic exercise and 12 of them (60%) reported at least one area of the disorders being better, while the rest reported no change. The specific exercise according to the symptoms was proved to benefit to computer users. This study suggested specific exercise as human improvement can be immediately provided to the workers without any lengthy process like orther kinds of improvement. Therefore; workers can instantly gain the benefit from the exercise. In addition, exercise should be recommended paralelly with work improvement.