Table 2 Baseline characteristics of the participants in the control group (n = 255), training group (n = 282) and among decliners (n = 73).
Agreed to participate | Declined to participate | Agreers vs. decliners | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
Control | Training | P-value | ||
Demographics: | ||||
Age, year | 42 (10) | 42 (11) | 42 (12) | 0.67 |
Height, cm | 170 (8) | 168 (8) | 173 (9) | 0.001 |
Weight, kg | 73 (14) | 70 (14) | 72 (13) | 0.83 |
Body Mass Index, kg.m-2 | 25 (5) | 25 (4) | 24 (4) | 0.04 |
Women (%) | 80% | 89% | 67% | < 0.001 |
More than 30 days with pain previous year (% of participants): | ||||
Neck | 31% | 34% | 17% | < 0.01 |
Right shoulder | 20% | 27% | 6% | < 0.001 |
Left shoulder | 13% | 17% | 11% | 0.39 |
Pain intensity of 3 or more during previous week (% of participants): | ||||
Neck | 31% | 34% | 20% | < 0.05 |
Right shoulder | 27% | 28% | 8% | < 0.001 |
Left shoulder | 17% | 17% | 14% | 0.56 |
Percentage of participants spending more than half of total work time: | ||||
Sitting | 87% | 83% | 92% | 0.11 |
Standing | 37% | 41% | 42% | 0.09 |
Bend forward without arm- or hand- support | 9% | 11% | 14% | 0.38 |
Twisting or bending the back | 23% | 32% | 21% | 0.20 |
Hand at shoulder height or higher | 1% | 0% | 3% | 0.05 |
Performing physical strenous work | 10% | 14% | 10% | 0.49 |
Bent neck | 24% | 29% | 19% | 0.17 |
Hand twisted or flexed | 28% | 33% | 30% | 0.94 |
The same finger movements several times a minute | 57% | 65% | 62% | 0.91 |
The same arm movements several times a minute | 34% | 38% | 33% | 0.60 |
Static work posture | 48% | 51% | 58% | 0.19 |
Kneeling | 2% | 0% | 3% | 0.26 |
Other work-related characteristics: | ||||
Weekly working hours | 35 (8) | 35 (8) | 35 (9) | 0.85 |
Years working in the same type of job | 15 (11) | 16 (12) | 12 (12) | 0.07 |