The Effect of Ergonomics and Exercise Training on Musculoskeletal Disorders in Female Dairy Farmers

The Effect of Ergonomics and Exercise Training on Musculoskeletal Disorders in Female Dairy Farmers: A Randomized Controlled Trial

The aim of this research is to comparatively examine the effects of ergonomics training and the combined application of ergonomics and structured exercise training on work-related musculoskeletal disorders in female farmers actively engaged in milking.

Study Overview

• Status: Recruiting
• Conditions: Work-related Injury; Work-related Illness
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: ergonomics; Other: exercise

Detailed Description

The study will assign female farmers actively engaged in milking to two groups using a simple randomization method: a control group (ergonomics training) and an experimental group (ergonomics and exercise training). The control group will receive standard ergonomics training aimed at reducing ergonomic risk factors encountered during milking. The experimental group will receive the same ergonomics training as the control group, plus a structured exercise program consisting of stretching, strengthening, and posture exercises. The exercise program will be planned based on progressive loading principles, muscle group-specific exercise selection, set-repetition arrangement, and standardization of rest intervals. The intervention period is 12 weeks, with exercises performed 3 days a week. All participants will be evaluated before and after the intervention using the Visual Analog Scale, Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire, Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand, and the World Health Organization Quality of Life Short Form, all within the same assessment protocol.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 60
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Ömer ŞEVGİN; Phone Number: +905069787535; Email: omer.sevgin@uskudar.edu.tr

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Tatvan
    • Bitlis, Tatvan, Turkey (Türkiye)
      • Recruiting
      • Tatvan
      • Contact: Muharrem AKAR; Phone Number: +905075850626

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria

• Having been actively engaged in farming for at least 5 years
• Being between 25-50 years of age
• Being female
• Having the physical ability to participate in the planned training and exercise program during the study period

Exclusion Criteria

• Having any accompanying neurological disease or neurological dysfunction
• Having a history of any musculoskeletal surgery
• Having a serious systemic disease that may prevent the implementation of the study protocol

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Treatment
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Active Comparator: control group; only the group that will receive ergonomics training	Other: ergonomics; The control group will be given standard ergonomics training which includes proper body mechanics, correct working posture and musculoskeletal protection principles during milking.
Experimental: exercise group; The group will receive exercises along with ergonomics training.	Other: ergonomics; The control group will be given standard ergonomics training which includes proper body mechanics, correct working posture and musculoskeletal protection principles during milking.; Other: exercise; The exercise group will receive the same ergonomics training as well as a structured exercise program consisting of stretching, strengthening and posture exercises. The exercise program will be planned to last three days a week for a total of 12 weeks.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire	It is a scale used to determine the extent of pain in the musculoskeletal system. The purpose of this questionnaire is to identify and compare pain and complaints in parts of the body. There is an image showing the 9 parts of the body included in the questionnaire. These body parts; neck, shoulders, back, elbows, hands, waist, hips, knees and feet. The respondents are asked whether they have experienced problems such as pain and discomfort in their body parts in the last 12 months, in the last 4 weeks, and on the day of the assessment, and they are asked to mark this as yes or no.	14 weeks
QuickDASH	QuickDASH score of the mobility of the arm, shoulder, hand and its function by using the QuickDASH questionnaire. The QuickDASH is scored in two components: the disability/symptom section (11 items, scored 1-5) and the optional high performance sport/music or work modules (4 items, scored 1-5). A higher score indicates greater disability.	14 weeks
Beck Depression Inventory	The Beck Depression Inventory is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory for measuring the severity of depression. Higher total scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms. The range of scores vary from 0 to 63 (highest possible total) for the whole test. A score of 0 - 10 indicates minimal depression, while a score of over 40 indicates extreme depression. No subscales were used for this outcome.	14 weeks
World Health Organization Quality of Life (Brief)	The World Health Organization Quality of Life brief is a 16 item quality of life scale covering four domains of QOL. Each item is scored from 1-5 with higher response employing a higher quality of life.	14 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Uskudar University
• Investigators: Study Chair: Muharrem AKAR, Uskudar University

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Akbar KA, Try P, Viwattanakulvanid P, Kallawicha K. Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders Among Farmers in the Southeast Asia Region: A Systematic Review. Saf Health Work. 2023 Sep;14(3):243-249. doi: 10.1016/j.shaw.2023.05.001. Epub 2023 May 13.
• Das B. Work-related musculoskeletal disorders in agriculture: Ergonomics risk assessment and its prevention among Indian farmers. Work. 2023;76(1):225-241. doi: 10.3233/WOR-220246.
• Kaewdok T, Sirisawasd S, Taptagaporn S. Agricultural Risk Factors Related Musculoskeletal Disorders among Older Farmers in Pathum Thani Province, Thailand. J Agromedicine. 2021 Apr;26(2):185-192. doi: 10.1080/1059924X.2020.1795029. Epub 2020 Jul 31.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): March 1, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): June 30, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): August 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: February 25, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: February 25, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): March 2, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): March 3, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: March 2, 2026
• Last Verified: March 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Motor Activity; Movement; Musculoskeletal Physiological Phenomena; Musculoskeletal and Neural Physiological Phenomena; Technology, Industry, and Agriculture; Engineering; Exercise; Ergonomics
• Other Study ID Numbers: Uskudar94

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No