Feasibility and Effects of Exercise During Working Hours in Acute Hospital Staff - A Non-Randomized Controlled Trial.
S G Nielsen, M Pedersen, J U Toftager-Oster and 4 others
PMID 39966325WHAT IT FOUND
Supervised exercise during working hours was feasible for hospital staff.
Participants showed improved aerobic capacity, blood pressure, and pain. However, adherence was low, and without a control group, these changes cannot be proven to result from the intervention alone.
Key findings
01The intervention was feasible, with 465 employees participating in supervised exercise sessions offered during and outside working hours.
02Participants demonstrated significant improvements in aerobic capacity, systolic blood pressure, and musculoskeletal pain compared to baseline.
03Adherence was low, with participants averaging 12 sessions over 20 weeks, and the lack of a control group prevents attributing outcomes solely to the exercise.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTsWhat it means for SLPs
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What it does not show
The study lacked a control group, so it is impossible to determine if the observed improvements were due to the exercise intervention, natural variation, or other workplace changes. Adherence was low, with many participants completing fewer than half of the scheduled sessions. Volunteer bias is likely, as participants self-selected into the program, potentially skewing results toward those already motivated to exercise. Muscle strength testing was omitted due to equipment issues, limiting the assessment of resistance training effects. Dietary changes were not monitored, which could have influenced weight and blood pressure outcomes.
Declared interests
The project was funded by the hospital board. The authors declared no other conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not interpret the improvements in blood pressure, pain, or aerobic capacity as proven effects of the exercise program. Because the study had no control group, these changes could have resulted from other factors, such as seasonal trends or concurrent workplace initiatives, rather than the intervention itself.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →