Academic Journal
Effect of a Stretching Exercise Program on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Operating Room Nurses: A Quasi-Experimental Study.
| Τίτλος: | Effect of a Stretching Exercise Program on Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in Operating Room Nurses: A Quasi-Experimental Study. |
|---|---|
| Συγγραφείς: | Huang YH; Department of Nursing, Taiwan Adventist Hospital.; Graduate Institute of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology., Liu MW; Department of Plastic Surgery, Taipei Hospital., Wang JS; School of Physical Therapy, Chang Gung University., Wang YN; Graduate Institute of Nursing, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology.; Center for Health and Geriatric Care Research and Development, Chang Gung University of Science and Technology., Lin TC; Department of Orthopedics, Taiwan Adventist Hospital. |
| Πηγή: | Workplace health & safety [Workplace Health Saf] 2026 Oct; Vol. 74 (10), pp. 558-569. Date of Electronic Publication: 2026 May 29. |
| Τύπος έκδοσης: | Journal Article |
| Γλώσσα: | English |
| Στοιχεία περιοδικού: | Publisher: Sage Country of Publication: United States NLM ID: 101575677 Publication Model: Print-Electronic Cited Medium: Internet ISSN: 2165-0969 (Electronic) Linking ISSN: 21650799 NLM ISO Abbreviation: Workplace Health Saf Subsets: MEDLINE |
| Imprint Name(s): | Publication: Jan. 2015- : Thousand Oaks, CA : Sage Original Publication: Thorofare, NJ : Slack, Inc. |
| Ιατρικοί όροι (MeSH): | Musculoskeletal Diseases*/prevention & control , Musculoskeletal Diseases*/therapy , Occupational Diseases*/prevention & control , Occupational Diseases*/therapy , Muscle Stretching Exercises* , Operating Room Nursing*, Humans ; Adult ; Female ; Taiwan ; Male ; Surveys and Questionnaires ; Middle Aged ; Operating Rooms |
| Περίληψη: | Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) are a common occupational health concern among nurses, particularly operating room (OR) nurses because of prolonged static postures and repetitive tasks in confined surgical settings. Here, we evaluated the effect of a structured stretching exercise program for OR nurses on musculoskeletal discomfort. Methods: A quasi-experimental two-group pretest-posttest design was employed. Using a convenience sample, we recruited OR nurses with musculoskeletal pain or discomfort lasting ≥30 days in the past year from a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan. The intervention group (n = 20) completed 30 minutes of stretching 5 days/week for 6 weeks, with one supervised and four app-guided sessions. The control group (n = 20) continued their usual routines. WMSDs in 15 body regions were assessed with the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire at baseline and post-intervention. Intervention effects were analyzed using independent and paired t-tests. Findings: Participants had a mean age and OR experience of 37.8 (standard deviation, 7.7) and 11.9 years (standard deviation, 10.9), respectively. The intervention group showed a significantly greater reduction in total musculoskeletal discomfort scores than the control group (t = 5.73, p < .001). Significant improvements occurred in 8 of 15 body regions, particularly the right shoulder (t = 3.04, p = .006), lower back (t = 4.83, p < .001), and left wrist/hand (t = 3.25, p = .004). Conclusions: A structured stretching program is a feasible, low-cost strategy to reduce WMSDs and promote well-being among OR nurses. Application to Practice: These findings support implementing exercise interventions in occupational health promotion for perioperative settings. |
| Competing Interests: | Conflict of InterestThe authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article. |
| Contributed Indexing: | Keywords: musculoskeletal discomfort; occupational health; operating room nurses; stretching exercises; workplace intervention |
| Entry Date(s): | Date Created: 20260529 Date Completed: 20260915 Latest Revision: 20260915 |
| Update Code: | 20260915 |
| DOI: | 10.1177/21650799261449265 |
| PMID: | 42212892 |
| Βάση Δεδομένων: | MEDLINE |
| ISSN: | 2165-0969 |
|---|---|
| DOI: | 10.1177/21650799261449265 |