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Objective The aim of this trial was to investigate the effectiveness of a worksite intervention using kettlebell training to improve musculoskeletal and cardiovascular health.
Methods This single-blind randomized controlled trial involved 40 adults from occupations with a high prevalence of reported musculoskeletal pain symptoms (mean age 44 years, body mass index 23 kg/m2, 85% women, with pain intensity of the neck/shoulders 3.5 and of the low back 2.8 on a scale of 0-10). A blinded assessor took measures at baseline and follow-up. Participants were randomly assigned to training - consisting of ballistic fullbody kettlebell exercise 3 times per week for 8 weeks - or a control group. The main outcome measures were pain intensity of the neck/shoulders and low back, isometric muscle strength, and aerobic fitness.
Results Compared with the control group, pain intensity of the neck/shoulders decreased 2.1 points [95% confidence interval (95% CI) -3.7- -0.4] and pain intensity of the low back decreased 1 .4 points (95% CI -2.7-0.02) in the training group. Compared with the control group, the training group increased muscle strength of the trunk extensors (PO.001), but not of the trunk flexors and shoulders. Aerobic fitness remained unchanged.
Conclusions Worksite intervention using kettlebell training reduces pain in the neck/shoulders and low back and improves muscle strength of the low back among adults from occupations with a high prevalence of reported musculoskeletal pain symptoms. This type of training does not appear to improve aerobic fitness.
Key terms ballistic training; fitness; intervention; muscle strength; musculoskeletal disorder; MSD; neck pain; workplace.
Musculoskeletal disorders are common and costly. In a survey of 29 828 representative US adults, Strine & Hootman (1) reported that the three-month prevalence of back and/or neck pain was 31%. Linton (2) reported a widespread prevalence of back pain in a representative sample of 22 180 adult Scandinavian workers. In that study, 39% had experienced back pain during the previous year, and 16% had sought out medical treatment for their pain. Furthermore, longitudinal observations from the UK and Sweden show that low-back pain is the predominant cause of absence from work with more than 12.5% and 13.5% of all annual sick days, respectively (3). Low-back pain therefore represents a major socioeconomic burden. The prevalence of neck and shoulder pain is...