The effect of flooring on musculoskeletal symptoms in the lower extremities and low back among female nursing assistants

Abstract

This study examines the effect of changing the floor from a 2-mm homogenous vinyl floor to a 4-mm heterogeneous vinyl floor (1.5-mm wear layer and 2.5-mm foam layer) on musculoskeletal symptoms in the lower extremities and low back among nursing assistants in a geriatric care centre. A pre-post design with a reference group consisting of nursing assistants from a similar geriatric care centre was used. Follow-up measurements were carried out 12 and 24 months after the intervention by means of questionnaires. At the 1-year follow-up, the pain intensity score in the feet of the intervention group had decreased compared with the baseline value and remained statistically significant at the 2-year follow-up. The decrease in pain intensity score of the feet in the intervention group was statistically significantly different from the reference group, both after 1 and 2 years.

Practitioner Summary: The results show the importance of flooring in the workplace with regard to reducing musculoskeletal symptoms. Appropriate flooring is especially important in the female-dominated health care sector, where workers must stand or walk for long periods.

Keywords:

• feet
• intervention
• lower limbs
• musculoskeletal symptoms

Acknowledgements

We would like to thank Erika Thillberg, Kommunhälsan Municipality of Sundsvall and Ulla Hjalmarsson, Occupational and Environmental Medicine, Umeå University Hospital for skilful assistance with data management. The study was partly financed from the Municipality of Sundsvall.