Ergonomic interventions for treating work-related complaints of the arm, neck or shoulder in adults.
Poonam Mehta, Peter W Stubbs, Sietske J Tamminga et al.
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In 30 seconds
This Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysis assessed ergonomic interventions for work-related arm, neck or shoulder complaints (CANS) in adults. It included 20 studies involving 2478 participants, including people with non-specific and specific CANS, and evaluated pain, disability and work-related outcomes. At short-term follow-up, ergonomic interventions compared with no treatment, usual care or placebo may make little to no difference in pain among people with non-specific CANS (SMD -0.23, 95% CI -0.54 to 0.08; 4 RCTs, 692 participants; low-certainty evidence). Findings for disability and sick leave likewise suggested little to no difference.
Key findings
- Pain may differ little with ergonomic interventions versus no treatment, usual care or placebo (SMD -0.23, 95% CI -0.54 to 0.08; 4 RCTs, 692 participants; low-certainty evidence).
- Disability probably differed little versus a waiting list (RR 1.06, 95% CI 0.84 to 1.34; 1 RCT (2 comparisons), 383 participants; moderate-certainty evidence).
- Sick leave may differ little versus no treatment: dichotomous data showed RR 0.87, 95% CI 0.63 to 1.21; 3 RCTs, 759 participants; moderate-certainty evidence.
- Recovery probably differed little versus no treatment (RR 1.32, 95% CI 0.89 to 1.97; 1 RCT (2 comparisons), 386 participants; moderate-certainty evidence).
Why it matters
CANS can affect work and function, so the review addresses outcomes relevant to both patients and workplaces. Its findings temper expectations that ergonomic interventions alone improve short-term pain, disability or work-related outcomes compared with control conditions. The certainty varies by outcome, and the evidence summarized here applies to short-term results, making the strength and scope of any conclusions important.
What to keep in mind
The short-term comparisons with no treatment, usual care or placebo were available only for trials involving non-specific CANS; evidence certainty was low for several outcomes.