Functional training improves the effectiveness of stretching programs for university cleaning staff

• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1108/IJWHM-05-2021-0112
• Published date: 04 July 2022
• Date: 04 July 2022
• Pages: 639-653
• Subject Matter: Health & social care,Healthcare management,HR & organizational behaviour,Human resource policy,Employee welfare
• Author: Oliver Artiga,Ana Bucy,Ruo Qiu,Elaine Cramer,Marcella Raney

Functional training improves

the effectiveness of stretching

programs for university

cleaning staff

Oliver Artiga, Ana Bucy, Ruo Qiu, Elaine Cramer and Marcella Raney

Department of Kinesiology, Occidental College, Los Angeles, California, USA

Abstract

Purpose –The purpose of this study was to determine whether combining a structured stretching program

with functional movement/body position training would yield additive effects on flexibility, ergonomic

practices, and subjective pain levels for employees at high risk for work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

Design/methodology/approach–Nine control and 13 experimental university cleaning staff participated in

a 10-week full-body stretching intervention led by undergraduate students. Experimental participants also

engaged in functional movement/body position training once per week. Joint range of motion, task ergonomic

form, pain level, and stretching motivation results were compared pre- and post-intervention.

Findings –Overall flexibility (þ25.75 ±3.33%) and task ergonomic form (þ26.3 ±10.5%) significantly

improved and were negatively correlated with pain levels (r50.541 and r50.317, respectively).

Experimental participants experienced greater improvements i n shoulder (control: þ16.8 ±9.0%;

experimental: þ64.2 ±11.5%) and hip (control: þ31.4 ±9.9%; experimental: þ91.2 ±19.9%) flexibility as

well as in task-specific ergonomic form for vertical (control: þ0.0 ±5.3%; experimental: þ35.2 ±10.1%) and

horizontal wiping (control: 4.7 ±4.7%; experimental: þ29.0 ±7.8%). Intrinsic motivation was increased for

both groups (þ26.2 ±15.4%).

Originality/value –Supplementing a workplace stretching program with functional movement/body

position training has the potential to improve flexibility and decrease pain while simultaneously increasing the

likelihood that cleaning staff will participate in self-directed stretching in the future. The intervention serves as

a model for workplace health management and wellness-focused community building on university campuses

who insource cleaning staff.

Keywords Physical activity/exercise, Behavior change, Health promotion, Worksite safety,

Physical disability, University/community partnerships

Paper type Research paper

Background

Low-wage cleaning service workers are essential in maintaining the hygiene and appearance

of offices, schools, hospitals and homes. In 2017, building cleaners was the fourth highest

ranking occupation in the European Union representing 3.3 million persons and 2.2% of the

non-financial business workforce (Eurostat, 2020). Similarly, in 2018, approximately 575,000

individuals were employed as cleaners and domestics in the United Kingdom, and in 2019,

approximately 2.4 million individuals were employed as janitors and building cleaners in the

USA (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2020a;Office for National

Statistics, United Kingdom, 2018). Occupational cleaning is associated with high rates of

work-related pain and injury occurrence, worker’s compensation claims, and missed

workdays (Chang et al., 2012;Green et al., 2019;Kumar and Kumar, 2008;Bureau of Labor

Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, 2020b). Unfortunately, low-wage manual workers

Physical

activity

interventions

for cleaners

639

The authors would like to extend their appreciation to the Occidental College Department of Facilities for

providing the physical spaces and opportunity to complete the intervention. Authors would also like to

extend deep appreciation to all college cleaning staff who do so much to improve the Occidental College

campus. Funding for this project was provided by the Occidental College Undergraduate Research

Center and Faculty Enrichment Fund.

The current issue and full text archive of this journal is available on Emerald Insight at:

https://www.emerald.com/insight/1753-8351.htm

Received 20 May 2021

Revised 17 April 2022

25 May 2022

Accepted 15 June 2022

InternationalJournal of Workplace

Health Management

Vol. 15 No. 5, 2022

pp. 639-653

© Emerald Publishing Limited

1753-8351

DOI 10.1108/IJWHM-05-2021-0112