More Breaks, More Often
Are Good for Business

Note: This is merely a draft of a literature review article for a hypothetical medical journal. Judith researched and wrote it for an AMWA workshop. Because it's not for publication in a peer-reviewed journal, it's based on reading only the abstracts, not the full articles, which is normally essentiall. Good info, though. You'll want to show it to your boss!

Benefits of Microbreaks in Preventing or Ameliorating Musculoskeletal Disorders in Computer Workers

Introduction

This article reviews the most recent reports of the effects of microbreaks (breaks of less than 5 minutes) for computer workers, with those breaks interspersed throughout their workdays in addition to the typical routine of 2 breaks of 15 minutes during an 8-hour workday. Articles reviewed were the result of a PubMed (US National Library of Medicine) search of journal articles published from 1989 through 2002, using microbreak, rest and computer as search terms. Studies that did not pertain to people who spend much of their workdays at computer keyboards were disqualified for the purpose of this review.

Review of Literature

McLean, Tingley, et al. (2001) defined microbreaks as "scheduled rest breaks taken to prevent the onset or progression of cumulative trauma disorders in the computerized workstation environment."

Although the effect of microbreaks on reducing workers' musculoskeletal discomfort resulting from typing at computer keyboards throughout their workdays has been studied at least since 1989 (Henning, Sauter, et al.), results of the more recent studies show frequent breaks from 30 seconds to 10 minutes to be beneficial, contrary to the lack of evidence for any significant benefits in earlier reports. This is probably because the process has been refined over the last decade as ergonomists have learned more about what works and what doesn't.

Bergqvist and Wolgast cited "opportunities for flexible rest breaks" as one of the conditions important in preventing or alleviating upper-body muscular problems in 1995. In that same year, Ferraz, Frumkin, et al., in reporting results of a study of 130 people who worked at keyboards and 138 other office workers in Brazil, concluded that "The presence of a diagnosed UEMSD [upper-extremity musculoskeletal disorder] was significantly associated with duration of employment (p = 0.005) and lack of or insufficient rest breaks (p = 0.012)."

Henning, Jacques, et al., in a study involving 92 workers at two sites in 1997, noted that only about half of the workers complied with instructions to take brief breaks beyond the two 15-minute breaks normally allowed in an 8-hour shift, in addition to the lunch break, and that productivity increased only at the worksite where the breaks included stretching. Yet they concluded that, "These results provide evidence that frequent short breaks from continuous computer-mediated work can benefit worker productivity and well-being when the breaks integrate with task demands."

In 2000, Galinsky, Swanson, et al. reported a study of 42 data entry operators who took 5-minute breaks every hour, plus the 15-minute breaks required by law every 4 hours, for a total of 20 extra minutes of break time or 50 minutes total per shift. "[Workers] indicated that discomfort in several areas of the body, and eyestrain, were significantly lower under the supplementary than under the conventional schedule," said the researchers. "In addition, increases in discomfort of the right forearm, wrist and hand over the course of the work week under the conventional schedule were eliminated under the supplementary schedule. These beneficial effects were obtained without reductions in data-entry performance."

For the most recent study, published in 2001 (McLean, Tingley, et al. [op cit]), workers were randomly assigned to four groups in which they took no breaks, microbreaks at their own discretion, breaks at 20-minute intervals, or breaks at 40-minute intervals. In summarizing their conclusions, the authors stated, "It was determined (p < 0.05) that microbreaks had a positive effect on reducing discomfort in all areas studied during computer terminal work, particularly when breaks were taken at 20-minute intervals. Finally, microbreaks showed no evidence of a detrimental effect on worker productivity."

Conclusion

Based on these reports, it is apparent that frequent 3- to 10-minutes breaks throughout the day, preferably combined with stretching, enable people to work more comfortably. These breaks not only do not decrease productivity, but may even increase it somewhat.

The optimum amount of break time in addition to the two 15-minute breaks requried by US labor law during an 8-hour shift seems to be an additional 20 minutes, or 50 minutes of break time per day, plus the lunch break. However, further research is needed to determine whether it is the stretching that is most beneficial or the rest break, as welll as whether implementing this policy in offices prevents or reduces injuries and Worker's Compensation claims.

References

Bergqvist, U., E. Wolgast, et al. (1995). "Musculoskeletal disorders among visual display terminal workers: individual, ergonomic, and work organizational factors." Ergonomics 38(4): 763-76.

Carter, J. B. and E. W. Banister (1994). "Musculoskeletal problems in VDT work: a review." Ergonomics 37(10): 1623-48.

Ferraz, M. B., H. Frumkin, et al. (1995). "Upper-extremity Musculoskeletal Disorders in Keyboard Operators in Brazil: A Cross-sectional Study." Int J Occup Environ Health 1(3): 239-244.

Galinsky, T. L., N. G. Swanson, et al. (2000). "A field study of supplementary rest breaks for data-entry operators." Ergonomics 43(5): 622-38.

Genaidy, A. M., E. Delgado, et al. (1995). "Active microbreak effects on musculoskeletal comfort ratings in meatpacking plants." Ergonomics 38(2): 326-36.

Henning, R. A., P. Jacques, et al. (1997). "Frequent short rest breaks from computer work: effects on productivity and well-being at two field sites." Ergonomics 40(1): 78-91.

Henning, R. A., S. L. Sauter, et al. (1989). "Microbreak length, performance, and stress in a data entry task." Ergonomics 32(7): 855-64.

Karlsson, G. B., B. Adle, et al. (1988). "[Microbreaks preventing musculoskeletal disorders]." Lakartidningen 85(42): 3463-4.

McLean, L., M. Tingley, et al. (2001). "Computer terminal work and the benefit of microbreaks." Appl Ergon 32(3): 225-37.