Development and implementation of an active break program to mitigate the effects of occupational sedentarism

Abstract

Background: Occupational sedentarism is a risk factor for developing musculoskeletal disorders and negatively impacts workers’ overall health. Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of implementing an active break intervention plan to reduce the negative effects of sedentary work among office employees at VCM Capital, compared to a group of employees from the same company who only received written educational material. Methods: A quasi-experimental study was conducted with participants aged 18–40 years. Exclusion criteria included previously diagnosed injuries, current physical therapy, pregnancy, or part-time work schedules. The intervention group completed a 4-week program of active breaks during the workday, while the control group only received an informational leaflet. Pain was assessed using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), stress through the IMSS Work Stress Test, anxiety using the Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI), burnout with the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI), and workstation ergonomics through self-assessment with the ROSA method. Results: After the intervention, significant improvements were observed in stress (p = 0.03), anxiety (p = 0.02), physical pain (p = 0.009), and emotional exhaustion (p = 0.001). These findings suggest that frequent movement or brief periods of physical activity during the workday may be sufficient to improve well-being, even without modifying workstation ergonomics. Conclusions: Active breaks proved to be an effective and accessible strategy to reduce physical and emotional discomfort in office workers, representing a practical alternative to counteract occupational sedentarism without requiring ergonomic modifications to the workstation.