Short High-Intensity Interval Exercise for Workplace-Based Physical Activity Interventions: A Systematic Review on Feasibility and Effectiveness

Abstract

Background Workplace exercise interventions showed good results, but lack of time was often reported as a barrier to participation. To overcome this problem, several studies attempted to implement short high-intensity interval training (HIT) within the workplace. Objectives The aim of this systematic review is to explore the feasibility and effectiveness of HIT interventions within the workplace setting. Data sources A systematic literature search was conducted in PubMed and SPORTDiscus to identify articles related to HIT within the workplace. Study eligibility criteria Only interventions that consisted of HIT programmes within the workplace and tested at least one physiological, psychological, or work-related outcome were included. Results Seven studies (317 participants) met the inclusion criteria. HIT interventions lasted 6–12 weeks, with a frequency of 2–4 sessions/week and a duration of 8–30 min per session. Feasibility was qualitatively investigated in four studies, with key positive aspects reported for HIT time-appeal, the sense of competence driven by individual intensity, and improved intention to exercise; five studies reported adherence rates > 80%. Small-to-large effect sizes were reported for improvements in cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness. Small-to-medium effect sizes were reported for blood parameters and health-related quality of life. Conclusions HIT interventions in the workplace showed limited effectiveness in improving health-related outcomes, while promising results regarding feasibility were reported, mainly due to the time-efficiency and the positive post-exercise psychosocial responses. However, further high-quality studies involving more participants are still needed to make firm conclusions on HIT effectiveness and feasibility compared to other types of exercise in this context.

The Importance of Physical Activity in Preventing Fatigue and Burnout in Healthcare Workers

“…Another study emphasized the importance of a nature prescription, which includes regular physical activity, in improving human health including blood pressure, depression, and anxiety [ 7 ]. An intervention in exercise-related activities improves the health of employees [ 8 ]. Studies suggested that individuals of low socio-economic upbringing are less likely to engage in physical activity [ 9 , 10 ].…”

Physical activity, musculoskeletal disorders, burnout, and work engagement: a cross-sectional study on Italian white-collar employees

“…Given the substantial amount of time individuals spend at their workplaces, this context has been proposed as a suitable environment for implementing interventions aimed at fostering workers’ health through lifestyle modifications. Various types of physical activities (stretching, strength training, aerobic exercises, high-intensity interval training, or various combinations thereof) have been proposed, yielding promising but occasionally divergent outcomes ( 4 , 19 , 20 , 36 , 37 ). Well-designed, randomized, and controlled studies remain essential to explore the impact of PA on workers’ physical and mental well-being.…”

“…So far, many studies investigated the effects of PA practice (both conducted in and out the workplace setting) on workers’ physical and mental health, showing that PA could be effective in reducing MSDs ( 4 , 17 ) and mental health problems ( 17 , 18 ), improving physical fitness ( 19 , 20 ) and likely - indirectly - work performance ( 21 ). However, to the authors’ knowledge, the mutual interactions among PA, physical and mental health, and workplace well-being have been less studied.…”

Physical activity interventions in workplace health promotion: objectives, related outcomes, and consideration of the setting—a scoping review of reviews

“…Six reviews pursued the objective of identifying solely the effectiveness of PA interventions on promoting PA and/or reducing sedentary behavior (39, 41-43, 45, 54). Two reviews focused on the effects of PA interventions on improving psychological well-being and mental health (37,38,50,52) and two assessed workability (46,53). One review each showed a fitness approach (40,49) or focused musculoskeletal pain (48).…”

“…One review each showed a fitness approach (40,49) or focused musculoskeletal pain (48). Five reviews showed a combined approach regarding the objectives, considering physical activity behavior and health outcomes (38,40,44,47,52). The outcomes of the respective primary studies could be assigned to the following categories: physical activity-related outcomes (38, 39, 41-45, 47, 52, 54), health-related outcomes (37,38,40,44,(47)(48)(49)(50)52), and job-related outcomes (38,41,46,48,52,53).…”