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An Exploratory Study on the Physical Activity Health Paradox—Musculoskeletal Pain and Cardiovascular Load during Work and Leisure in Construction and Healthcare Workers

Author

Listed:
  • Suzanne Lerato Merkus

    (Research Group for Work Psychology and Physiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Pb 5330 Majorstuen, 0304 Oslo, Norway)

  • Pieter Coenen

    (Department of Public and Occupational Health, Amsterdam Public Health Research Institute, Amsterdam UMC, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, 1081BT Amsterdam, The Netherlands)

  • Mikael Forsman

    (Division of Ergonomics, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, Halsovägen 11C, 141 57 Huddinge, Sweden
    Institute of Environmental Medicine, Karolinska Institutet, Box 210, 171 77 Stockholm, Sweden)

  • Stein Knardahl

    (Research Strategy, National Institute of Occupational Health, Pb 5330 Majorstuen, 0304 Oslo, Norway)

  • Kaj Bo Veiersted

    (Research Group for Work Psychology and Physiology, National Institute of Occupational Health, Pb 5330 Majorstuen, 0304 Oslo, Norway)

  • Svend Erik Mathiassen

    (Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Department of Occupational Health Sciences and Psychology, University of Gävle, 801 76 Gavle, Sweden)

Abstract

Using a novel approach, this exploratory study investigated whether the physical activity (PA) paradox extends to cardiovascular load and musculoskeletal pain. At baseline, 1–2 days of 24 h heart rate was assessed in 72 workers from construction and healthcare. Workers then reported pain intensity in 9 body regions (scale 0–3) every 6 months for two years. The 2 year average of musculoskeletal pain (sum of 9 pain scores; scale 0–27) was regressed on time spent during work and leisure above three thresholds of percentage heart rate reserve (%HRR), i.e., ≥20 %HRR, ≥30 %HRR, and ≥40 %HRR, using a novel ilr structure in compositional data analysis. Analyses were stratified for several important variables. Workers spending more time in physical activity at work had higher pain, while workers with more time in physical activity during leisure had less pain (i.e., the PA paradox), but none of the associations were statistically significant. Higher aerobic capacity and lower body mass index lowered the pain score among those with higher physical activity at work. This exploratory study suggests that the PA paradox may apply to musculoskeletal pain and future studies with larger sample sizes and additional exposure analyses are needed to explain why this occurs.

Suggested Citation

  • Suzanne Lerato Merkus & Pieter Coenen & Mikael Forsman & Stein Knardahl & Kaj Bo Veiersted & Svend Erik Mathiassen, 2022. "An Exploratory Study on the Physical Activity Health Paradox—Musculoskeletal Pain and Cardiovascular Load during Work and Leisure in Construction and Healthcare Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(5), pages 1-17, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:5:p:2751-:d:759786
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Margo Ketels & Charlotte Lund Rasmussen & Mette Korshøj & Nidhi Gupta & Dirk De Bacquer & Andreas Holtermann & Els Clays, 2020. "The Relation between Domain-Specific Physical Behaviour and Cardiorespiratory Fitness: A Cross-Sectional Compositional Data Analysis on the Physical Activity Health Paradox Using Accelerometer-Assesse," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(21), pages 1-17, October.
    2. Lars-Kristian Lunde & Markus Koch & Kaj Bo Veiersted & Gunn-Helen Moen & Morten Wærsted & Stein Knardahl, 2016. "Heavy Physical Work: Cardiovascular Load in Male Construction Workers," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 13(4), pages 1-15, March.
    3. David M. Hallman & Svend Erik Mathiassen & Allard J. van der Beek & Jennie A. Jackson & Pieter Coenen, 2019. "Calibration of Self-Reported Time Spent Sitting, Standing and Walking among Office Workers: A Compositional Data Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-15, August.
    4. Charlotte Lund Rasmussen & Javier Palarea-Albaladejo & Adrian Bauman & Nidhi Gupta & Kirsten Nabe-Nielsen & Marie Birk Jørgensen & Andreas Holtermann, 2018. "Does Physically Demanding Work Hinder a Physically Active Lifestyle in Low Socioeconomic Workers? A Compositional Data Analysis Based on Accelerometer Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(7), pages 1-23, June.
    5. David M. Hallman & Nidhi Gupta & Leticia Bergamin Januario & Andreas Holtermann, 2021. "Work-Time Compositions of Physical Behaviors and Trajectories of Sick Leave Due to Musculoskeletal Pain," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-11, February.
    6. Nikola Štefelová & Jan Dygrýn & Karel Hron & Aleš Gába & Lukáš Rubín & Javier Palarea-Albaladejo, 2018. "Robust Compositional Analysis of Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Data," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 15(10), pages 1-18, October.
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