Breaking the Fatigue Cycle: Investigating the Effect of Work-Rest Schedules on Muscle Fatigue in Material Handling Jobs

Abstract

Muscle fatigue has proven to be a main factor in developing work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Taking small breaks or performing stretching routines during a work shift might reduce workers’ fatigue. Therefore, our objective was to explore how breaks and/or a stretching routine during a work shift could impact muscle fatigue and body kinematics that might subsequently impact the risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorder (WMSD) risk during material handling jobs. We investigated muscle fatigue during a repetitive task performed without breaks, with breaks, and with a stretching routine during breaks. Muscle fatigue was detected using muscle activity (electromyography) and a validated kinematic score measured by wearable sensors. We observed a significant reduction in muscle fatigue between the different work–rest schedules (p < 0.01). Also, no significant difference was observed between the productivity of the three schedules. Based on these objective kinematic assessments, we concluded that taking small breaks during a work shift can significantly reduce muscle fatigue and potentially reduce its consequent risk of work-related musculoskeletal disorders without negatively affecting productivity.