Effectiveness of warm-up interventions on work-related musculoskeletal disorders, physical and psychosocial functions among workers: a systematic review.

Objectives: The aim of this systematic review was to identify from published literature the available evidence regarding the effects of warm-up intervention implemented in the workplace on work -related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) and physical and psychosocial functions.

Design: Systematic review.

Data Sources: The following four electronic databases were searched (from inception onwards to October 2022): Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), PubMed (Medline), Web of Science and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro).

Eligibility Criteria: Randomised and non-randomised controlled studies were included in this review. Interventions should include a warm-up physical intervention in real-workplaces.

Data Extraction and Synthesis: The primary outcomes were pain, discomfort, fatigue and physical functions. This review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines and used the Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation evidence synthesis. To assess the risk of bias, the Cochrane ROB2 was used for randomised controlled trial (RCT) and the Risk Of Bias In Non-randomised Studies-of Interventions was used for the non-RCT studies.

Results: Three studies met the inclusion criterion, one cluster RCT and two non-RCTs. There was an important heterogeneity in the included studies principally concerning population and warm-up intervention exercises. There were important risks of bias in the four selected studies, due to blinding and confounding factors. Overall certainty of evidence was very low.

Conclusion: Due to the poor methodological quality of studies and conflicting results, there was no evidence supporting the use of warm-up to prevent WMSDs in the workplace. The present findings highlighted the need of good quality studies targeting the effects of warm-up intervention to prevent WMSDs.

Prospero Registration Number: CRD42019137211.

Competing Interests: Competing interests: All authors are memberships of Opti’Mouv, a company that provides workplace health promotion services as workplace physical activity programmes.

(© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2023. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)