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Office workers who spend more days working remotely may have decreased physical functioning and increased physical symptoms, reports a study in the February issue of the
Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.
"These findings suggest the importance of promoting awareness, workplace support, and appropriate home working environments to help teleworkers maintain their physical health," according to the report by Yuko Kai, PhD, of Meiji Yasuda Life Foundation of Health and Welfare, Tokyo, and colleagues. They assessed the effects of telework frequency on physical fitness, physical symptoms, and body composition in 93 Tokyo office workers.
On a study questionnaire, nearly half of employees reported two to three days of remote work per week. That reflected the shift to telework, in Japan as in other countries, since the COVID-19 pandemic.
Workers with more days of remote work had lower performance on the "30-second chair stand" test: a widely used assessment of physical functioning. Employees with four or more days of telework per week averaged about 26 "sit-stand cycles" in 30 seconds, compared to 30 cycles in those with no telework, after adjustment for age, sex, and body mass index. The difference "was comparable in magnitude to differences typically observed across approximately ten years of aging," according to the authors.
Frequent teleworkers also scored higher on a questionnaire evaluating physical symptoms, such as neck or low-back pain. The difference was significant for only severe symptoms in those at the highest level of telework: four or more days per week.
Telework frequency was unrelated to muscle mass or body composition, "However, long-term effects on body composition cannot be ruled out, as prolonged teleworking may gradually reduce muscle mass and increase body fat," according to the authors.
Since the COVID-19 pandemic, telework has become "the new normal" for many companies. Previous studies have reported possible effects of telework on employee health, including decreased physical activity and increased sedentary time.
The study adds new evidence that frequent telework may affect physical health. The increase in symptoms might be related to "inappropriate work postures," particularly for employees working from household desks and chairs that do not provide adequate support. Dr. Kai and coauthors conclude: "These findings highlight the importance of proper ergonomic adjustments and movement strategies in teleworking settings to mitigate posture-related musculoskeletal symptoms."
About the Author
Dr. Kai may be contacted for interviews at y-kai(at)my-zaidan.or.jp