Worksite physical activity breaks: Perspectives on feasibility of implementation

Feasibility of student-designed, peer-led classroom physical activity breaks in graduate school

Objective: We evaluated the feasibility of Pitt Moves, a classroom-based, peer-led physical activity break (PAB) intervention developed by graduate students to improve mood, focus, and boredom among students. Participants: One hundred and thirty-two graduate-level students in 10 courses during an academic semester. Methods: Process evaluation with a formative focus involving document review, surveys, and interviews with students and facilitators. Results: Eighty-four percent of eligible students participated in ≥1 of 65 PABs. Participants said Pitt Moves provided a mental break, promoted community building, and increased their physical activity. They recommended increasing accessibility. Organizers' time was a constraint in running this program. Conclusion: Pitt Moves was feasible based on successful recruitment of participants, delivery of PABs as planned, and participant acceptability. A formal study should evaluate whether Pitt Moves can improve mood, focus, and boredom among graduate students. Organizational encouragement and audiovisuals could enhance marketing and program implementation.

Twelve Weeks of Web-Based Low to Moderate Physical Activity Breaks with Coordinative Exercises at the Workplace Increase Motor Skills but Not Motor Abilities in Office Workers-A Randomised Controlled Pilot Study

Integrating physical activity interventions at the workplace can have positive effects on the employees' health. This study aimed to evaluate a physical activity break with coordinative exercises (PAB) including juggling and balance tasks and to assess its effects on motor abilities. Thirty-two university employees were randomly allocated to an intervention (IG:20) or a control (CG:12) group. The IG participated two times per week for 12 weeks in a PAB with a duration of 15 to 20 min. We measured the unimanual, bimanual finger, and hand dexterity with the Purdue Pegboard Test, the reaction time with the Fall Stick Test, and the dynamic balance with the Y Balance Test. Juggling performance was assessed by measuring the time(s) of performing a three-ball-cascade. Furthermore, an evaluation of the PAB was executed. Participants in the IG improved their juggling performance after six and twelve weeks. These increases were significantly different compared to the CG. However, no other parameters changed significantly. The evaluation showed that the PAB was enjoyable and led to subjective improvements in the participants health and working routine. To conclude, PAB can lead to improvements in juggling performance, subjective health, and the working routine.

Live-streaming Activity and Relaxation Breaks: a (Home-)Office-Compatible Approach to Promote Break Recovery, Mood, and Attention?

The aim of this study is to investigate whether short, live-streaming activity and relaxation lunch breaks have positive associations with office workers' mood (calmness, valence, and energetic arousal), back pain, and attention after break and whether these associations are mediated by better break recovery. Additionally, we considered the two respite interventions as resources possibly buffering the effects of elevated situational job demands. Ten-minute break exercises were conducted during lunch breaks via Zoom live-stream, and data on those days were compared with data on days on which participants spent their breaks as usual. Our sample of 34 office workers provided data for 277 work days (209 in the home office and 68 on site at the company). Multilevel path models revealed positive total associations of both respite interventions with the mood dimension of calmness. Activity breaks additionally showed a positive association with the energetic arousal dimension of mood, while relaxation breaks were positively related to objectively measured cognitive performance. Interestingly, activity breaks moderated the relationships of job demands with calmness and valence, indicating their function as a stress-buffering resource. There were no significant associations between the two respite interventions and back pain. Supplemented by participants' feedback, the findings of this study suggest that offering short virtually guided break exercises may represent a feasible and office-compatible approach to promote break recovery, mood and functionality at work, especially regarding home-office work. Possible advantages and disadvantages of the live-streaming format are discussed.

The effect of physical activity breaks, including motor-cognitive coordination exercises, on employees’ cognitive functions in the workplace

BACKGROUND: The findings of the effectiveness of physical activity on adults’ cognitive abilities have not yet been transferred into corresponding fields of application. OBJECTIVE: The present study evaluates a motor-cognitive coordination programme in a company to improve employees’ cognitive performance in the short and medium term. METHODS: A total of 67 employees — 32 men and 35 women aged between 19 and 61 years — participated in this study, and 55 completed the study. The sample was randomly divided into an experimental group, which received a motor-cognitive coordination training, and a control group, which received a relaxation and mobility training. Both groups met for 15-minute sessions three times a week for eight weeks. Before and after the intervention, working memory, attention, information-processing capacity, divergent thinking, and mood were measured. In addition, acute effects regarding attention and mood were tested. RESULTS: The results showed that the motor-cognitive coordination break improves working memory and divergent thinking after eight weeks of intervention, whereas neither the mood nor the information processing speed improved more for the experimental group compared to the control group. The results on the acute increase in attention performance failed to reach significance. CONCLUSION: The new approach of this study was not only the derivation and development of targeted exercises, but also their testing and evaluation in the field of application. Motor-cognitive coordination exercise in the workplace might play an important role in both occupational health management and personnel development, especially for companies that are under highly competitive and innovative pressure.

Exploring acute effects of workplace warm-up intervention on pain, physical capacities, and productivity in agriculture:- A study protocol

BACKGROUND: Physical activity programs at the workplace have shown positive results on physical capacities and pain for several years. Due to the duration of the training session or the need for an instructor, these supervised programs are rather difficult to implement. For this reason, numerous companies, especially companies in manual sectors, are turning to another solution, i.e. warm-up intervention before the work shift. These interventions present various advantages such as short duration and the possibility to perform exercises in working clothes. Surprisingly, while the positive effects of warm-up interventions on pain, performance, and physical and psychological capacities are expansively reported in the sport context, effects of workplace warm-up intervention are lacking. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to assess the acute effects of three different warm-up interventions on physical (pain, strength, flexibility) and psychological (workload) functions and also on work-related outcomes (work performance, readiness to work) among vineyard workers. METHODS: A cluster randomized study will be implemented among French vineyard workers. Four groups of 30 participants will be constituted; corresponding to four different conditions: (1) hybrid warm-up intervention (HWU); (2) dynamic warm-up intervention (DWU); (3) stretching warm-up intervention (SWU); (4) no warm-up intervention (NWU). A total of 120 vineyard workers will be recruited to participate in the study. CONCLUSION: The results will provide more evidence about the short-term effects of warm-up interventions at the workplace and will provide more evidence on which warm-up modality is the most effective on pain, performance, and physical and psychological capacities among vineyard workers.

Stand up, stand out. Feasibility of an active break targeting prolonged sitting in university students

ObjectiveTo assess the acceptability, appropriateness, and feasibility of an active break designed to disrupt prolonged sitting in university students. Participants: Students attending lectures in Trinity College Dublin, Ireland. Methods: Participants took part in an active break, which consisted of following a short exercise video lasting ∼4 min. They then completed a validated questionnaire consisting of 12 statements with two open-ended questions capturing likes/dislikes. Results: Overall 106 (response rate 96%) predominately female (83%, n = 87), health sciences students (91%, n = 96) participated. Percentage agreement ranged from 93.4% (n = 99) to 96.2% (n = 102) for acceptability, 84.9% (n = 90) to 93.4% (n = 99) for appropriateness, and 80.2% (n = 85) to 96.2% (n = 102) for feasibility. Space constraints and warm temperatures impacted negatively. Conclusion: An active break delivered during lectures is an acceptable and feasible intervention to disrupt sitting in students. Further investigation using a broader representation of the university population is needed prior to implementation.

SMART STEP - SMARTphone-driven exercise and pedometer-based STEP intervention to promote physical activity among desk-based employees: Study protocol for a three-arm cluster randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND

Prolonged sitting in desk-based office workers is found to be associated with increased cardiometabolic risk and poor cognitive performance. Technology-based physical activity (PA) interventions using smartphone applications (SmPh app) to promote PA levels might be effective in reducing cardiometabolic risk among sedentary population but the evidence remains inconclusive.

OBJECTIVE

The objective is to investigate the effects of a technology-based PA intervention compared to PA education with a worksite manual or no intervention on PA levels, cardiometabolic risk, cognitive performance, and work productivity among desk-based employees.

METHOD

A three-arm clustered randomized trial will be conducted. The study will be conducted among various administrative offices of a multifaceted university in India. Desk-based employees aged between 30 and 50 years (n = 159; 53 in each arm) will be recruited. Employees from various constituent institutions (clusters) of the university will be randomized into one of the three following groups - SMART: SmPh app-driven break reminders (visual exercise prompts) plus pedometer-based step intervention, TRADE: worksite PA education with a manual plus American College of Sports Medicine guided PA prescription, or CONTROL: usual work group. At baseline and after the 1st, 3rd and 6th month of the trial period, accelerometer-measured sitting time and PA levels, cardiometabolic risk (fasting blood glucose, triglycerides, insulin, blood pressure, heart rate variability, functional capacity, and subcutaneous fat), cognitive performance (executive function), sickness absenteeism and work limitations will be assessed by a blinded assessor. Therapist delivering interventions will not be blinded.

CONCLUSION

This trial will determine whether a combined SmPh-app and pedometer-based intervention is more effective than education or no intervention in altering PA levels, cardiometabolic risk and cognitive performance among desk-based employees in India. This study has the potential to foster institutional recommendations for using SmPh-based technology and pedometers to promote PA and reduce sedentary behavior at work.

Self-Efficacy, Social-Support, and Physical Activity Measures Among Hospital Employees: A Multisite Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION

Associations across self-efficacy, social support, and multiple measures of physical activity (PA) have not been thoroughly explored in hospital employees.

METHODS

Validated surveys assessed psychosocial factors; the IPAQ-long assessed PA, and mixed-effects analyses examined relations between psychosocial variables and PA in 920 employees from 6 Texas hospitals.

RESULTS

At P <.05, self-efficacy was significantly associated with light (β = 1.67), moderate (β = 1.63), and vigorous (β = 2.78) leisure PA; with domestic PA (β = 1.64); and with moderate commute PA (β = 0.03). At P < .05, family social-support was significantly associated with light (β = 0.94), moderate (β = 0.63), and vigorous (β = .74) leisure PA; with moderate (β = 0.46) and vigorous (β = 1.24) occupation PA; with light (β = 0.58) and moderate (β = 0.20) commute PA; and with domestic PA (β = 1.18). At P < .05, social support from friends was significantly associated with light (β = 0.74), moderate (β = 0.58), and vigorous (β = .91) leisure PA; with moderate commute (β = 0.21); and with domestic PA (β = 0.82).

CONCLUSION

Interventions must emphasize self-efficacy-building strategies and the role of family support to meaningfully impact PA behaviors in this unique population.

The effects of physical activity on sleep quality, job satisfaction, and quality of life in office workers

BACKGROUND

A sedentary lifestyle has negative effects on many aspects of life.

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of physical activity on sleep quality, job satisfaction, and quality of life in office workers.

METHODS

A convenience sample of office workers from administrative staff of a university was included. There were two groups; Group I did regular physical activity for at least eight weeks, and Group II did no regular physical activity. Sleep quality, job satisfaction, and quality of life were assessed using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, the Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale, and the World Health Organization Quality-of-Life-Scale (WHOQOL-BREF), respectively.

RESULTS

Group I included 59 individuals and Group II 50 individuals. No significant differences were found between groups in terms of age, height, weight, and the period of time worked (p > 0.05). Although no significant difference was found in terms of sleep quality (p = 0.52), the overall job satisfaction of Group I was higher than Group II (p = 0.03). All subscales of the WHOQOL-BREF for Group I was higher than Group II (p < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

Regular physical activity could increase job satisfaction and quality of life for office workers. Further studies investigating the effect of physical activity in terms of its type, duration should be performed.