Research Plus

Ergonomic interventions

A systematic review finds little evidence to support the use of ergonomic interventions to reduce low-back or neck pain among workers not currently on sick leave. Randomised controlled trials were included if they studied ergonomic interventions aimed at changing biomechanical exposure at the workplace (nine papers) or changing work organisation (one paper). Eight papers covered office workers, one was on garment workers and one on kitchen staff. Interventions were no more effective than controls in preventing low back or neck pain in either the short or long term (low to moderate evidence); a meta-analysis also found no significant benefits.

Occupational and Environmental Medicine 2010; 67:277–285.

Tags back pain ergonomic evidence based practice neck pain

Occupational Health at Work June/July 2010 (vol. 07/1) pp38