Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33986051›Full record

ArticleBMJ open2021

Office work and stretch training (OST) study: effects on the prevalence of musculoskeletal diseases and gender differences: a non-randomised control study.

Fabian Holzgreve, Laura Fraeulin, Jasmin Haenel, Helmut Schmidt, Andreas Bader, Markus Frei, David A Groneberg, Daniela Ohlendorf, Anke van Mark

Open access · goldAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in BMJ open, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
2.1field-weighted citation impact, top 14% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 20 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. The effects of chronic stretch training on musculoskeletal pain.European journal of applied physiology · 2025
    Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Musculoskeletal disorders, associated factors, and literature review for intervention according to gender.Revista brasileira de medicina do trabalho : publicacao oficial da Associacao Nacional de Medicina do Trabalho-ANAMT
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.

Fabian HolzgreveInstitute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany holzgreve@med.uni-frankfurt.de.ORCID 0000-0002-1115-131X
Laura FraeulinInstitute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.ORCID 0000-0001-5214-5963
Jasmin HaenelInstitute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Helmut SchmidtCorporate Health Promotion, Daimler AG Health and Safety, Stuttgart, Germany.
Andreas BaderCorporate Health Promotion, Daimler AG Health and Safety, Stuttgart, Germany.
Markus FreiMedical Services Plant Rastatt, Mercedes-Benz AG, Rastatt, Germany.
David A GronebergInstitute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Daniela OhlendorfInstitute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.ORCID 0000-0002-2281-9880
Anke van MarkInstitute of Occupational Medicine, Social Medicine and Environmental Medicine, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Goethe University Frankfurt · DEDaimler (Germany) · DEMercedes-Benz (Germany) · DE

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesFor the prevention of musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs), stretch training can be a measure of the workplace health promotion (WHP) for office workers. This can lead to an increase in mobility and, ultimately, reduce or prevent MSD. The aim of the study was to examine a standardised and individualised stretch training on a device, specifically 'five Business', for the prevalence of MSD.

designThis study is a non-randomised control study.

settingWHP programme with clerical employees of a German car manufacturer.

participants252 (110 women; 142 men) subjects (median age of 44 ([Formula: see text] 21 years) finished the study successfully. Inclusion criteria included a full-time employment in the office workplace and subjective health.

interventionThe intervention group completed 22-24 training units of 10 min each on the 'five-Business' device two times a week for 12 weeks. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: Data were collected in the form of a pre-post study Nordic Questionnaire.

resultsAfter the intervention, significantly fewer subjects reported pain in the area of the neck (-17.79), shoulder (-11.28%), upper back (-14.7%), lower back (-12.78%) and feet (-8.51%). The gender analysis revealed that women are, in general, more often affected by musculoskeletal complaints than men, especially in the neck (+29.5%) and feet (+15.03%). Both sexes had significant reductions of MSD in the most commonly affected regions. Thus, 27.12% less women reported having neck pain, while 13.14% less men reported having low back pain.

conclusionsThe results suggest that a stretching programme performed for 3 months can reduce musculoskeletal complaints in the most commonly affected areas in office workers. Both men and women benefited from the stretch training to a similar extent, suggesting that this would be a promising measure for therapy and prevention as part of WHP.

Indexed as

Musculoskeletal DiseasesOccupational DiseasesAdultFemaleHumansMalePrevalenceSex CharacteristicsSurveys and QuestionnairesWorkplaceYoung Adultback paineducation & training (see medical education & training)musculoskeletal disordersoccupational & industrial medicinepreventive medicinesports medicine

Identifiers

PMID33986051
PMCPMC8126281
OpenAlexW3161413798

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.