THERAPEUTIC PLAN BASED ON ACTIVE BREAKS FOR THE TREATMENT OF MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS IN DELIVERY WORKERS
Keywords:
musculoskeletal diseases, physiotherapy, therapeutic plan, painAbstract
DOI: https://doi.org/10.46296/gt.v9i18edespsep.0447
Abstract
Musculoskeletal disorders are common among delivery workers due to exposure to sustained postures, repetitive movements, prolonged driving, and load handling. This study evaluated changes associated with a physiotherapy-based therapeutic plan involving active breaks for delivery workers in Ambato, Ecuador. A quantitative, pre-experimental, single-group study was conducted with pre- and post-intervention measurements. Fifty delivery workers participated, selected via non-probability convenience sampling. The intervention lasted four weeks, consisting of three weekly sessions of approximately 15 minutes each (12 sessions total), and included joint mobility exercises, stretching, muscle activation, breathing techniques, and relaxation. Outcomes were assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, and a supplementary six-question module regarding occupational factors. The pre-test identified discomfort primarily in the neck, shoulders, wrists, and lumbar region, as well as fatigue at the end of the workday. Following the intervention, a marked reduction in pain was observed, although symptoms persisted in approximately 10% of participants. Among the 49 valid Nordic Questionnaire records, the prevalence of discomfort in the neck, shoulders, wrists, and lumbar region during the preceding seven days dropped from 100% to approximately 10%; this reduction was statistically significant in the paired categorical comparison (McNemar's exact test, p < 0.001). Fatigue and the perceived impact on work performance also decreased. The findings demonstrate a favorable clinical progression temporally associated with the active break plan. Due to the pre-experimental design lacking a control group, the results should be interpreted as preliminary evidence and do not establish a definitive causal relationship.
Keywords: musculoskeletal diseases, physiotherapy, therapeutic plan, pain.
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