EFFECTS OF AN ONLINE WORKPLACE EXERCISE INTERVENTION ON QUALITY-OF-LIFE PERCEPTION IN COMPUTER WORKERS DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC: A QUASI-EXPERIMENTAL STUDY

P.C. Santos^1,2,3, C. Gonçalves^4,5, C. Mesquita^1,3, S. Lopes¹, J. Mota², J. Machado⁶, S. Moreira^6,7

¹School of Health, Polytechnic of Porto, Department of Physiotherapy, Porto, Portugal, ²Faculty of Sport, University of Porto (FADEUP), Research Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure (CIAFEL) - Faculty of Sport, University of Porto (FADEUP) and Laboratory for Integrative and Translational Research in Population Health (ITR), Porto, Portugal, ³School of Health, Polytechnic of Porto, CIR - Center for Rehabilitation Research, Porto, Portugal, ⁴Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, ESDL IPVC, Escola Superior Desporto e Lazer, Viana do Castelo, Portugal, ⁵Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, Research Center in Sports Performance, Recreation, Innovation and Technology (SPRINT), Melgaço, Portugal, ⁶University of Porto, ICBAS, Instituto de Ciências Biomédicas Abel Salazar, Porto, Portugal, ⁷Instituto Politécnico de Viana do Castelo, ESS IPVC, Escola Superior de Saúde, Viana do Castelo, Portugal

Background: The quality of life of computer workers can be influenced by the type of tasks they perform throughout the day. These workers spend many hours sitting in front of the computer. Teleworking due to the covid 19 pandemic in some situations worsened sedentary behaviours. Creating the need for health professionals to use telehealth tools to promote physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours.
Workplace exercises consist of a set of physical exercises, implemented during work breaks, that have multiple benefits for workers’ health.

Purpose: To assess the impact of online workplace exercises on computer workers’ perception of quality of life.

Methods: Quasi-experimental study with two groups: a control group (n = 26) and an intervention group (n = 13). The inclusion criteria were that participants must be aged between 18 and 65 years old and the exclusion criteria included a diagnosis of non-work-related medical conditions. The interventions consisted of workplace exercises, which were applied for 17 consecutive weeks, each session lasting 15 min, three times a week. The exercise program, performed online and guided by a physiotherapist, consisted of mobility exercises, flexibility, and strength exercises, with the help of the TheraBand® for elastic resistance. The control group was not subjected to any intervention. A socio-demographic questionnaire and the Health Survey Questionnaire (SF-36v2) were used in two assessment stages (M0—baseline, and M1—final of intervention). A mixed ANOVA with interaction time*group was used to evaluate the effect of the exercise program.

Results: A good perception of the QoL was obtained in both stages. The exercise program had a positive effect in the domains of Pain (ptime*group = 0.012, η2p = 0.158), Physical Function (ptime*group = 0.078, η2p = 0.082), Physical Performance (ptime*group = 0.052, η2p = 0.098), and Emotional Performance (ptime*group = 0.128, η2p = 0.061).

Conclusions: After 17 weeks of workplace exercises, the intervention group positively increased their QoL perception, with this improvement being significant in the Pain domain, which resulted in an improvement in their health condition.

Implications: Physiotherapists can use telehealth tools such as online exercise programs to promote health. Since this type of intervention has a positive effect on people's quality of life.

Funding acknowledgements: Portuguese Foundation Science Technology-FCT UID/DTP/00617/2020 [Research Center in Physical Activity, Health and Leisure-CIAFEL ] and LA/P/0064/2020 [Laboratory of Interdisciplinary Research-ITR).

Keywords:
SF-36v2
Occupational health
Online exercise program

Topics:
Health promotion & wellbeing/healthy ageing/physical activity
Occupational health & ergonomics
Mental health

Did this work require ethics approval? Yes

Institution: Institute Biomedical Sciences CHUP/ICBAS

Committee: Ethics Committee at the Abel Salazar

Ethics number: CHUP/ICBAS (963)