Jau-Yih Tsauo ^A1, Hsin-Yi Lee ^A2, Jin-Huei Hsu ^A3, Chao-Ying Chen ^A1, Chiou-Jong Chen ^A3
A1 School and Graduate Institute of Physical Therapy, College of Medicine National Taiwan University
^A2 Institute of Occupational Medicine and Industrial Hygiene, College of Public Health National Taiwan University
^A3 Institute of Occupational Safety & Health Council of Labor Affairs Executive Yuan Taipei Taiwan

DOI: 10.1080/16501970410029807

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of 3 different health promotion exercise programs for work-related shoulder and neck pain. Design: Comparative study design. Subjects: A total of 178 employees were recruited and grouped. Methods: Those in the "Self-exercise group" (n = 56) were given a lecture about the exercise program and then performed the program by themselves during their office break. "Team-exercise group I" (n = 69) performed the program once under the supervision of a physiotherapist after the lecture. "Team-exercise group II" (n = 14) performed the program twice; once under a physiotherapist's supervision. A modified Nordic questionnaire, pain threshold and cervical range of motion were used to evaluate the effect of intervention. There were 39 subjects in the reference group. Results: When daily change of pain threshold (post-work - pre-work) was treated as an improvement index, the odds ratios for the self-exercise group, team-exercise group I and team-exercise group II were 1. 39, 4. 63 (p < 0. 05) and 7. 06 (p < 0. 05), respectively, compared with the reference group. A dose-response effect of intervention intensity was demonstrated. Conclusion: An intensive team-exercise program is beneficial in reducing neck and shoulder symptoms in sedentary workers.