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might be huge waste of money: study
New York Post • • health
Key Points:
- A University of Technology Sydney study reviewing 20 trials with over 2,400 participants found that ergonomic office interventions like specialized chairs, desks, and keyboards have little to no impact on reducing pain, improving functionality, or decreasing sick leave for workers with repetitive stress injuries.
- Ergonomic setups were less effective than posture-correcting exercises for treating pain or discomfort, although combining both may offer short-term relief.
- The $16.5 billion ergonomic office furniture industry may need to reconsider its value, as evidence supporting the effectiveness of these interventions is weak to moderate and inconsistent across different conditions.
- Some specific conditions, such as rotator cuff injuries, might benefit slightly from ergonomic treatments, but others like carpal tunnel syndrome showed no significant pain reduction from ergonomic devices.
- The study challenges long-held beliefs about the long-term benefits of ergonomic office design, suggesting employers carefully evaluate the cost-effectiveness of investing in such interventions.
