Jens Wahlström1, Christina Ostman, Ola Leijon. 1. Department of Public Health & Clinical Medicine, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden. jens.wahlstrom@envmed.umu.se
Abstract
This study examines the effect of changing the floor from a 2-mm homogenous vinyl floor to a 4-mm heterogeneous vinyl floor (1.5-mm wear layer and 2.5-mm foam layer) on musculoskeletal symptoms in the lower extremities and low back among nursing assistants in a geriatric care centre. A pre-post design with a reference group consisting of nursing assistants from a similar geriatric care centre was used. Follow-up measurements were carried out 12 and 24 months after the intervention by means of questionnaires. At the 1-year follow-up, the pain intensity score in the feet of the intervention group had decreased compared with the baseline value and remained statistically significant at the 2-year follow-up. The decrease in pain intensity score of the feet in the intervention group was statistically significantly different from the reference group, both after 1 and 2 years. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: The results show the importance of flooring in the workplace with regard to reducing musculoskeletal symptoms. Appropriate flooring is especially important in the female-dominated health care sector, where workers must stand or walk for long periods.
This study examines the effect of changing the floor from a 2-mm homogenous vinyl floor to a 4-mm heterogeneous vinyl floor (1.5-mm wear layer and 2.5-mm foam layer) on musculoskeletal symptoms in the lower extremities and low back among nursing assistants in a geriatric care centre. A pre-post design with a reference group consisting of nursing assistants from a similar geriatric care centre was used. Follow-up measurements were carried out 12 and 24 months after the intervention by means of questionnaires. At the 1-year follow-up, the pain intensity score in the feet of the intervention group had decreased compared with the baseline value and remained statistically significant at the 2-year follow-up. The decrease in pain intensity score of the feet in the intervention group was statistically significantly different from the reference group, both after 1 and 2 years. PRACTITIONER SUMMARY: The results show the importance of flooring in the workplace with regard to reducing musculoskeletal symptoms. Appropriate flooring is especially important in the female-dominated health care sector, where workers must stand or walk for long periods.
Authors: Chantelle C Lachance; Michal P Jurkowski; Ania C Dymarz; Stephen N Robinovitch; Fabio Feldman; Andrew C Laing; Dawn C Mackey Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-02-06 Impact factor: 3.240
Authors: Amy Drahota; Lambert M Felix; James Raftery; Bethany E Keenan; Chantelle C Lachance; Dawn C Mackey; Chris Markham; Andrew C Laing Journal: BMC Geriatr Date: 2022-01-06 Impact factor: 3.921