Associations of office workers’ objectively assessed occupational sitting, standing and stepping time with musculoskeletal symptoms

We examined the association of musculoskeletal symptoms (MSS) with workplace sitting, standing and stepping time, as well as sitting and standing time accumulation (i.e. usual bout duration of these activities), measured objectively with the activPAL3 monitor. Using baseline data from the Stand Up Victoria trial (216 office workers, 14 workplaces), cross-sectional associations of occupational activities with self-reported MSS (low-back, upper and lower extremity symptoms in the last three months) were examined using probit regression, correcting for clustering and adjusting for confounders. Sitting bout duration was significantly (p Practitioner summary: We studied associations of objectively assessed occupational activities with musculoskeletal symptoms in office workers. Workers who accumulated longer sitting bouts reported fewer upper extremity symptoms. Total activity duration was not significantly associated with musculoskeletal symptoms. We underline the importance of considering total volumes and patterns of activity time in musculoskeletal research.

本研究基于activPAL3传感器客观测得的数据，探讨肌肉骨骼症状（musculoskeletal symptoms, MSS）与工作场所久坐、站立和行走时长，以及久坐和站立时长的累积模式（即上述活动的常规回合时长）之间的关联。
本研究使用《维多利亚起立》（Stand Up Victoria）试验的基线数据（共216名办公室职员，涉及14个工作场所），采用概率单位回归（probit regression）分析职业活动与自我报告的肌肉骨骼症状（过去3个月内的腰背部、上肢及下肢症状）之间的横断面关联，同时校正聚类效应并控制混杂因素。
久坐回合时长与上肢症状减少呈显著相关（p<0.001），而更长的总久坐时间与腰背部症状增加相关（p=0.04）。
从业者摘要：本研究探讨了客观评估的职业活动与办公室职员肌肉骨骼症状之间的关联。久坐回合时长更长的职员报告的上肢症状更少。总活动时长与肌肉骨骼症状无显著关联。本研究强调了在肌肉骨骼研究中同时考虑活动总时长与活动模式的重要性。