The effect of physical training and ergonomic counselling on the psychological perception of work and the frequency and severity of low-back symptoms was studied in a group of female nursing aides with low-back insufficiency symptoms. The nursing aides were divided into three groups. One group (the training group) was given conditioning exercises twice a week for eight weeks.
The ergonomics group did not show any change in their psychological perception of their work. The physical capacity of the training group had increased somewhat compared with the control group but not compared with the ergonomics group. The perceived exertion during work on a bicycle ergometer had decreased in the training group compared with the control group as well as with the ergonomics group. The influence of either training or ergonomic counselling on the low-back symptoms was negligible.
