Abstract:
This quasi-experimental study was aimed to study the effects of
ergonomic intervention using micro-breaks and exercise on physical symptoms and
visual fatigue in 131 workers who worked at a printing office.
The ergonomic intervention consisted of a five-minute break (work
improvement) and specific exercise during the break (human improvement) which
were provided for a one-month period. Physical examinations for Work-related
Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSDs) were performed twice before and after
intervention. Visual fatigue was measured thrice; baseline (before working), pre-test
(after working 2 hours before intervention), and post-test (after working 2 hours after
intervention), using Critical Flicker Frequency (CFF) and Reaction Time (RT) test.
The results showed that symptoms of WMSDs and visual fatigue were
improved after the intervention. The WMSD severity stage, pain scale, and the mean
of CFF and RT values were also improved (p<0.05) while the work load remained
the same.
Therefore, the ergonomic interventions could help reduce the symptoms
of WMSDs and visual fatigue in printing workers. The ergonomic interventions
should be applied in similar work tasks where WMSDs are presented