Prevention of musculoskeletal injuries: a workplace gymnastics plan in an internal medicine service
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.29352/mill0216e.35315Keywords:
musculoskeletal diseases; nurses; exercise; occupational health; hospitalsAbstract
Introduction: Hospitals face complex challenges, including structural limitations and demanding work conditions that result in Work-Related Musculoskeletal Injuries (WRMSIs), especially among nurses. Ergonomic interventions, such as workplace gymnastics (WG), emerge as effective strategies.
Objective: To evaluate the impact of a WG program on the prevalence of WRMSIs among health professionals at a Hospital Center in Portugal.
Methods: A continuous quality improvement project was developed with a focus on the prevention of WRMSIs. The intervention implemented consisted of a workplace gymnastics program with two components: educational and exercises. A questionnaire was used as a data collection tool. Participants were evaluated at the start of the program and after three months. Statistical analyses were performed to study the responses obtained.
Results: Seventeen participants were included, corresponding to 71% of the nursing team. The prevalence of self-reported musculoskeletal injuries by participants before the program's implementation was 70%. After the program, statistically significant differences were found with a reduction in pains in the lumbar region (16.7% and 5.60%), cervical (27.7%), shoulder (5.6%), psychosocial well-being (5.60% and 16.70%), and work-related stress (11.10% and 5.20%).
Conclusion: The results suggest that a workplace gymnastics program was effective in reducing musculoskeletal injuries among nurses, highlighting it as an important part of occupational health strategies in hospital settings.
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