Research Plus

Hospital-based exercise RCT

A randomised control trial – albeit on a small scale – demonstrates that moderate exercise can be incorporated successfully into working hours in an NHS setting, and can significantly improve measured physical capacity and cardiovascular health. Twenty healthy full-time employees in sedentary jobs (microscopy) at a London hospital were randomly assigned either to a 12-week progressive aerobic exercise programme (four times a week) or control group. Peak oxygen consumption improved in the exercise group, as did economy of absolute oxygen utilisation at both 2 and 4 minutes. C-reactive protein concentration, a biological marker of inflammation, which may predict cardiovascular disease risk, was lowered.

Journal of Occupational Medicine and Toxicology 2008; 3: 7; doi: 10.1186/1745-6673-3-7.  http://www.occup-med.com/content/pdf/1745-6673-3-7.pdf

Tags cardiovascular evidence based practice

Occupational Health at Work April/May 2008 (vol. 04/6) pp41