Physical Exercise Is Confirmed to Reduce Low Back Pain Symptoms in Office Workers: A Systematic Review of the Evidence to Improve Best Practices in the Workplace

Stefano Gobbo; Valentina Bullo; Manuele Bergamo; Federica Duregon; Barbara Vendramin; Francesca Battista; Enrico Roma; Danilo Sales Bocalini; Roberta Luksevicius Rica; Cristine Lima Alberton; David Cruz-Diaz; Giampaolo Priolo; Vittorio Pancheri; Stefano Maso; Daniel Neunhaeuserer; Andrea Ermolao; Marco Bergamin

doi:10.3390/jfmk4030043

Physical Exercise Is Confirmed to Reduce Low Back Pain Symptoms in Office Workers: A Systematic Review of the Evidence to Improve Best Practices in the Workplace

J Funct Morphol Kinesiol. 2019 Jul 5;4(3):43. doi: 10.3390/jfmk4030043.

Authors

Stefano Gobbo¹, Valentina Bullo¹, Manuele Bergamo¹, Federica Duregon¹, Barbara Vendramin¹, Francesca Battista¹, Enrico Roma¹, Danilo Sales Bocalini², Roberta Luksevicius Rica³, Cristine Lima Alberton⁴, David Cruz-Diaz⁵, Giampaolo Priolo⁶, Vittorio Pancheri⁷, Stefano Maso⁸, Daniel Neunhaeuserer¹, Andrea Ermolao¹, Marco Bergamin¹

Affiliations

¹ Sport and Exercise Medicine Division, Department of Medicine, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy.
² Laboratorio de Fisiologia e Bioquimica Experimental, Centro de Educacao Fisica e Deportos, Universidade Federal do Espirito Santo (UFES), SP 01504-00 Vitoria, ES, Brazil.
³ Departamento de Educacao Fisica e Ciencias do Envelhecimento, Laboratorio de Percepcao Corporal e Movimento, Universidade Sao Judas Tadeu, 03166-000 Sao Paulo, SP, Brazil.
⁴ Department of Sports, Physical Education School, Federal University of Pelotas, 96055630 Pelota, RS, Brazil.
⁵ Department of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Jaén, E-23071 Jaén, Spain.
⁶ Freelance Professional and Occupational Physician, Lungargine Panvinio 31, 37121 Verona, Italy.
⁷ Freelance Professional and Occupational Physician, Viale Venezia 87/A, 35015 Conegliano, Italy.
⁸ Department of Cardiac, Thoracic and Vascular Sciences, University of Padova, 35128 Padova, Italy.

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to analyze the effects of a physical exercise (PE) program on low back pain (LBP) symptoms of office workers and the modification of flexibility and range of motion (ROM), muscular strength, and quality of life (QoL). A literature research was performed on PubMed, Scopus, MEDLINE, and SPORTDiscus from April to May 2018. The keyword "low back pain" was associated with "office worker" OR "VDT operators" OR "office employees" OR "workplace" AND "exercise", OR "exercise therapy" OR "physical activity". Inclusion criteria were a home- or work-based exercise protocol for office workers with LBP symptoms and pre- to post-intervention evaluation of LBP symptoms. Three researchers independently examined all abstracts. The modified Cochrane methodological quality criteria were used for quality assessment and 11 articles were included. Exercise protocols were performed from 6 weeks to 12 months, 1-5 day per week, lasting 10-60 min for each session. Physical Exercise in the workplace improved all the considered outcomes. The best improvement was recorded in supervised protocols and in video-supported protocols performed in the workplace. The effect may be generated with small duration sessions during the working day, with only 10-15 min of adapted exercise to be performed 3-5 days per week.

Keywords: exercise; low back pain; office worker; review; workplace.

Publication types

Review