Work‐break schedules for preventing musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders
Citation: Luger T, Maher CG, Rieger MA, Steinhilber B. Work‐break schedules for preventing musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders in healthy workers. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2019;(7):CD012886.
What is this? The COVID-19 pandemic is placing a strain on workers. Existing research on the effects of different ways of working might provide useful information for policy makers.
In this Cochrane review, the authors searched for randomised trials of work-break interventions for preventing work-related musculoskeletal symptoms and disorders among healthy adult workers. They did not restrict their searches by language of publication and did the search in May 2019. They included 6 randomized trials and identified one additional ongoing study. They assessed the quality of the evidence as low to very low.
What works: Additional work breaks may have a positive effect on productivity and work performance when compared to a traditional work-break schedule, but might have no effect on musculoskeletal pain, discomfort or fatigue when compared to no additional work breaks or work breaks taken as needed.
What doesn’t work: Nothing noted.
What is uncertain: The effects of different durations of work breaks are uncertain.