Self-Management: A New Eight-Minute Stretching Program for Employees with Musculoskeletal Disorders (MSDs)

Abstract

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) are the main cause of workplace injuries. MSDs are health problems that attack the body’s propulsion systems, such as muscles, tendons, ligaments, joints, cartilage, and nerves. This study aims to determine the effectiveness of Self-Management: A New Eight-Minute Stretching Program against MSDs in a company X, Tangerang, Indonesia. A quantitative, quasi-experimental research method using a non-equivalent control group pre-test-post-test design was conducted on 90 respondents, who were divided into two sample groups by using side probability with a simple random sampling technique. The MSD risk measurement instrument used the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. The results obtained showed that the majority of respondents were adults (51.3%), male (67.2%), and had more than three years of working experience (43.7%). The results of a Mann–Whitney U test found that there were differences in the level of complaints about MSDs between the intervention group and the control group (p = 0.00). However, using Wilcoxon, there were differences in complaints about MSDs during the pre-test and post-tests (p = 0.00). Based on the research results, it is suggested that every company provide continuous education to employees so that they can implement this program independently while working or at home. This prevention can reduce complaints of MSDs, so that, together with reduced complaints, the quality of health will improve.