PT-Supervised Exercise

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of supervised exercise among nurses conducting shift work for health promotion.

Methods: A total of 30 healthy female nurses conducting shift work participated in this study and they were randomly assigned to one of the following 2 groups: The supervised exercise group (SG; participants exercised under the supervision of a physical therapist (PT)) and the voluntary exercise group (VG; participants exercised without supervision). The study participants were asked to exercise twice/week for 12 weeks for 24 sessions. The primary outcome was aerobic fitness, and the secondary outcomes were muscle strength, anthropometric data, biochemical parameters, and mental health. We compared all the outcomes before and after the intervention within each group and between both groups at follow-up.

Results: Aerobic fitness increased in the SG whereas it decreased in the VG, but these changes were not statistically significant (p=0.053 and 0.073, respectively). However, the between-group difference was significant in the intervention effect (p=0.010). Muscle strength, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and metabolic profile (high-molecular weight adiponectin), and depressive symptom significantly improved in the SG over time, even though the SG exercised less as compared with the VG. Moreover, significant differences in muscle strength, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol and reactive oxygen metabolite levels were observed between both groups, and these parameters were better in the SG than in the VG.

Conclusions: Our data-suggest the effectiveness of exercise supervised by a PT at the workplace of nurses conducting shift work for health promotion.

Rank: 59

First Author: Matsugaki

Outcome: Depression,Mental Health

Outcome p-value: Depression:●, Mental Health:●

Intervention Category: Coping Skills Development

Time per Employee (hours): No time specified.

D&B Study Quality Rating: 16

Reviewer Confidence: 2.5

Country: Japan

Study Design Type: RCT

Materials Available to Implement: Intervention described in publication. An exercise manual was provided. Corresponding author: yamato@med.uoeh-u.ac.jp.

Organiz./Individ. Focus: Individual

Prevention Category: Primary

Effect size Small:

Effect size Medium:

Reference: Matsugaki, Ryutaro, Satoshi Kuhara, Satoru Saeki, Ying Jiang, Ryoma Michishita, Masanori Ohta, and Hiroshi Yamato. “Effectiveness of Workplace Exercise Supervised by a Physical Therapist among Nurses Conducting Shift Work: A Randomized Controlled Trial.” Journal of Occupational Health 59, no. 4 (July 2017): 327–35. https://doi.org/10.1539/joh.16-0125-OA.