Twelve Weeks of Web-Based Low to Moderate Physical Activity Breaks with Coordinative Exercises at the Workplace Increase Motor Skills but Not Motor Abilities in Office Workers-A Randomised Controlled Pilot Study

Carina Scharf; Markus Tilp

doi:10.3390/ijerph20032193

Twelve Weeks of Web-Based Low to Moderate Physical Activity Breaks with Coordinative Exercises at the Workplace Increase Motor Skills but Not Motor Abilities in Office Workers-A Randomised Controlled Pilot Study

Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023 Jan 25;20(3):2193. doi: 10.3390/ijerph20032193.

Authors

Carina Scharf¹, Markus Tilp¹

Affiliation

¹ Institute of Human Movement Science, Sport and Health, University of Graz, 8010 Graz, Austria.

Abstract

Integrating physical activity interventions at the workplace can have positive effects on the employees' health. This study aimed to evaluate a physical activity break with coordinative exercises (PAB) including juggling and balance tasks and to assess its effects on motor abilities. Thirty-two university employees were randomly allocated to an intervention (IG:20) or a control (CG:12) group. The IG participated two times per week for 12 weeks in a PAB with a duration of 15 to 20 min. We measured the unimanual, bimanual finger, and hand dexterity with the Purdue Pegboard Test, the reaction time with the Fall Stick Test, and the dynamic balance with the Y Balance Test. Juggling performance was assessed by measuring the time(s) of performing a three-ball-cascade. Furthermore, an evaluation of the PAB was executed. Participants in the IG improved their juggling performance after six and twelve weeks. These increases were significantly different compared to the CG. However, no other parameters changed significantly. The evaluation showed that the PAB was enjoyable and led to subjective improvements in the participants health and working routine. To conclude, PAB can lead to improvements in juggling performance, subjective health, and the working routine.

Keywords: adult; balance training; juggling; motor fitness; physical activity break; work health promotion.

Publication types

Randomized Controlled Trial
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Exercise
Humans
Internet
Motor Skills*
Pilot Projects
Workplace*

Grants and funding

The authors acknowledge the financial support by the University of Graz and by the BVAEB (insurance institution for government employees, railways and mining) (training materials for the participants). Open access Funding by the University of Graz.