ArticleBMJ open2026
Effectiveness of ergonomic interventions in the 21st century: a protocol for an umbrella review of systematic reviews.
Article in BMJ open, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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.
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.
Who cites it
0 citing papers in PubMed.
No citing paper in PubMed yet.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
4 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
introductionWork-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) remain a global challenge despite technological advancements and evolving workplace practices. Ergonomic interventions-including workplace redesign, equipment modification, training and organisational strategies-have been increasingly adopted to address these challenges. However, systematic reviews assessing their effectiveness have yielded heterogeneous and sometimes contradictory findings. This protocol outlines a methodology for an umbrella review of systematic reviews aimed at synthesising high-quality evidence on ergonomic interventions in diverse occupational settings, thereby informing both practice and policy. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: We will conduct an umbrella review of systematic reviews and meta-analyses published between January 2000 and 2026 in PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews. Eligible reviews will include workers aged 18 years and older exposed to ergonomic risks and will examine physical, educational, organisational or multicomponent interventions. Primary outcomes will be reductions in WMSDs and pain, while secondary outcomes will include productivity, absenteeism, job satisfaction and workplace safety. The methodological quality of included reviews will be assessed using A Measurement Tool to Assess Systematic Reviews 2. Findings will be synthesised narratively and summarised in structured tables by intervention type, population, outcome and review quality. Overlap among reviews will be evaluated using the corrected covered area, and where multiple reviews address the same question, their conclusions will be compared based on population, intervention characteristics, outcomes, comparators, follow-up and methodological quality. The certainty of evidence will be assessed using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation or a comparable framework, and any inconsistent findings will be explored and reported transparently. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: This umbrella review protocol was reviewed and approved by the Ethics Committee of Hamadan University of Medical Sciences (Approval ID: IR.UMSHA.REC.1404.583). Since this study involves the secondary analysis of previously published data and does not involve direct contact with human participants, individual informed consent is not required. The study will be conducted in accordance with the ethical standards of the responsible committee on human experimentation and transparency will be maintained throughout the process. The findings of this umbrella review will be disseminated through publication in a peer-reviewed journal, presentation at relevant international conferences and shared with policymakers to promote evidence-based ergonomic practices. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD420251147970.
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