A tailored physical activity intervention in a group of female workers at risk of development of neck and upper limb musculoskeletal disorders.

Women showed a larger risk factor then men in neck pain, especially while engaged in repeated movements with hands or arms. Gender anthropometric features, like differences in strength, fatigue and muscle fiber characteristics, may be responsible of the higher prevalence work related musculoskeletal disorders (WRMDs) on the neck and the upper arm. The aim of this study is to evaluate a tailored physical activity protocol performed in a work environment on a group of female workers who are employed in manual precision tasks. Methods: Sixty subjects were recruited and randomly assigned to an intervention group and a control group (CG). Intervention consisted in a 6-month, twice-a-week, tailored exercise program. Outcome measures were gathered with visual analogue scales referred to pain on neck (VASneck), shoulder (VASshoulder), elbow (VASelbow) and wrist (VASwrist). Upperl limb strength and flexibility were measured with handgrip dynamometry and back scratch test. Finally, DASH and NPDS-I questionnaires were administered to quantify upper arm and neck disability. Results: The personalized approach administered to the female workers induce a distinct reduction especially on shoulder pain (p=0.018) accompanied with increases on range of motion. Additionally, reductions in upper-limb (p=0.007) and neck disability (p=0.006) have been detected with concomitant increases in grip strength (p=0.013) and shoulder flexibility (p=0.008) for the intervention group. Conclusions: This study indicated positive effects of a tailored workplace exercise protocol in female workers exposed to moderate risk for WRMDs showing clinically meaningful reductions of pain symptoms and disability on upper limb and neck regions.