Occupational Ergonomics
Conditions
Keywords
Ergonomics Education, Physiotherapy Students, Occupational Ergonomics, Muscle Activation, Surface Electromyography, Posture, Postural Awareness, Musculoskeletal Risk, REBA, Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders, Fatigue
Brief summary
This randomized controlled study evaluated the effects of ergonomics education in final-year physiotherapy and rehabilitation students during their clinical internship. Physiotherapy students may be exposed to physically demanding tasks, prolonged standing, repetitive movements, and postures that may increase their risk of work-related musculoskeletal problems. Participants were randomly assigned to an ergonomics education group or a control group. Students in the education group received a total of four hours of face-to-face ergonomics education, consisting of theoretical and practical training delivered over two weeks. The control group did not receive ergonomics education during the study period. The study examined whether ergonomics education could improve students' working posture and postural awareness, reduce ergonomic musculoskeletal risk and unnecessary muscle activation, and reduce musculoskeletal discomfort and fatigue. Outcomes were assessed before the intervention, after completion of the ergonomics education, and six weeks later.
Detailed description
This randomized controlled study investigated the short- and medium-term effects of ergonomics education on muscle activation, ergonomic musculoskeletal risk, posture, postural habits and awareness, musculoskeletal discomfort, and fatigue in final-year physiotherapy and rehabilitation students undertaking clinical internships. Participants were final-year students in the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at Karabuk University who were undertaking their clinical internship at the Karabuk University Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation Application and Research Center. Eligible volunteers were randomly allocated to an ergonomics education group or a control group. Participants allocated to the intervention group received a total of four hours of face-to-face ergonomics education, including theoretical and practical components. The education was delivered over two weeks, with two hours of training provided each week. The control group received no ergonomics education during the study period. Assessments were performed at baseline, on the first working day following completion of the ergonomics education, and six weeks after the intervention. Muscle activation of the upper and middle trapezius muscles was assessed using surface electromyography. Ergonomic musculoskeletal risk during clinical activities was evaluated using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA). Postural assessment was performed using PostureScreen Mobile, and postural habits and awareness were evaluated using the Postural Habits and Awareness Scale. Musculoskeletal discomfort was assessed using the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire, and fatigue was evaluated using the Chalder Fatigue Scale. The study was designed to determine whether ergonomics education provided before graduation could promote safer body mechanics and working postures among physiotherapy students and potentially reduce factors associated with future work-related musculoskeletal problems.
Interventions
BEHAVIORALErgonomics Education
Participants received a total of four hours of face-to-face ergonomics education delivered over two weeks. The intervention consisted of both theoretical and practical training. Two hours of training were provided during the first week and two hours during the second week.
Sponsors
Karabuk University
Study design
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Intervention model
PARALLEL
Primary purpose
PREVENTION
Masking
SINGLE (Outcomes Assessor)
Intervention model description
Participants were randomly assigned to one of two parallel groups: an ergonomics education group or a control group. The intervention group received four hours of face-to-face ergonomics education over two weeks, while the control group received no ergonomics education during the study period.
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to No maximum
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
* Able to read and understand Turkish. * Final-year physiotherapy and rehabilitation student undertaking a clinical internship. * No previous course, class, or similar training in ergonomics. * No recent orthopedic surgery. * Willing to participate in the study.
Exclusion criteria
* Presence of a severe postural disorder, such as scoliosis or kyphosis. * Recent surgery or a similar procedure that could affect posture. * Unwillingness to participate in the study.
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Change in Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA) Score | Baseline, first working day after completion of the 2-week intervention, and 6 weeks after the intervention | Ergonomic musculoskeletal risk during clinical activities was assessed using the Rapid Entire Body Assessment (REBA). REBA evaluates the positions of the trunk, neck, legs, upper arms, lower arms, and wrists together with relevant load and activity factors. The total score ranges from 1 to 15, with higher scores indicating greater ergonomic risk. Six observations obtained at different times over three working days were averaged to obtain the participant's REBA score at each assessment period. |
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Upper Trapezius Muscle Activation | Baseline, first working day after completion of the 2-week intervention, and 6 weeks after the intervention | Upper trapezius muscle activation was assessed using surface electromyography (sEMG) with the Megawin ME800 system. Following skin preparation, Ag/AgCl surface electrodes were positioned parallel to the muscle fibers at the midpoint of the line between the acromioclavicular joint and the spinous process of the seventh cervical vertebra. Muscle activity was recorded during maximum voluntary contraction. |
| Middle Trapezius Muscle Activation | Baseline, first working day after completion of the 2-week intervention, and 6 weeks after the intervention | Middle trapezius muscle activation was assessed using surface electromyography (sEMG) with the Megawin ME800 system. Following skin preparation, Ag/AgCl surface electrodes were positioned parallel to the muscle fibers at the midpoint of the horizontal line between the spine of the scapula and the third thoracic vertebra. Muscle activity was recorded during maximum voluntary contraction. |
| Postural Deviations | Baseline, first working day after completion of the 2-week intervention, and 6 weeks after the intervention | Posture was assessed using the PostureScreenLite application. Photographs of participants were obtained from anterior, posterior, right, and left views and subsequently uploaded to the application. PostureScreenLite quantifies postural deviations in centimeters. |
| Postural Habits and Awareness | Baseline, first working day after completion of the 2-week intervention, and 6 weeks after the intervention | Postural habits and awareness were assessed using the 19-item Postural Habits and Awareness Scale. The scale includes postural habits and postural awareness components. The total score ranges up to 95 points, with higher scores indicating better posture-related habits and greater postural awareness. |
| Musculoskeletal Discomfort | Baseline, first working day after completion of the 2-week intervention, and 6 weeks after the intervention | Musculoskeletal discomfort was assessed using the Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire. The questionnaire evaluates discomfort across 20 body regions and considers the frequency and severity of discomfort and its interference with work. Higher scores indicate greater musculoskeletal discomfort. |
| Fatigue | Baseline, first working day after completion of the 2-week intervention, and 6 weeks after the intervention | Fatigue was assessed using the Chalder Fatigue Scale. The scale consists of 11 items evaluating physical and mental fatigue. Each item is scored from 0 to 3, resulting in a total score ranging from 0 to 33. Higher scores indicate greater fatigue. |
Countries
Turkey (Türkiye)
Outcome results
None listed