Lasting Effects of Workplace Strength Training for Neck/Shoulder/Arm Pain among Laboratory Technicians: Natural Experiment with 3-Year Follow-Up

Table 1

Self-reported changes in physical and mental health and well-being during the past year. There were significant differences between companies in all parameters, except for the desire to exercise and eat healthier (see 𝑃-values in the table).

Self-reported health changes during the last year; of the natural experiment
	Private company; %	Public company; %
Wellbeing; (difference between companies 𝑃<0.0001)
Decreased	5	11
Unchanged	65	75
Increased	30	14
Musculoskeletal pain; (difference between companies 𝑃=0.0005)
Decreased	27	14
Unchanged	62	68
Increased	10	18
Muscle strength; (difference between companies 𝑃=0.04)
Decreased	7	15
Unchanged	67	63
Increased	26	22
Physical reserves in daily life; (difference between companies 𝑃=0.03)
Decreased	8	16
Unchanged	72	68
Increased	20	16
Mental reserves in daily life; (difference between companies 𝑃=0.003)
Decreased	8	16
Unchanged	70	70
Increased	23	14
Social relations with colleagues; (difference between companies 𝑃=0.03)
Decreased	5	9
Unchanged	80	81
Increased	15	9
Work enjoyment; (difference between companies 𝑃=0.005)
Decreased	5	8
Unchanged	80	85
Increased	16	7
Desire to exercise; (no difference between companies 𝑃=0.39)
Decreased	5	9
Unchanged	61	58
Increased	35	34
Desire to eat healthier; (no difference between companies 𝑃=0.50)
Decreased	2	4
Unchanged	71	65
Increased	27	32