Effect of Ergonomic and Corrective Movement Interventions on Improving Sleep Quality and Reducing Musculoskeletal Disorders in Police Officers

Police officers often suffer from poor sleep quality and a high prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders due to shift work patterns and the physically and mentally demanding nature of their job. This study aimed to determine the effect of an ergonomic training program combined with corrective exercise techniques on improving sleep quality and reducing musculoskeletal disorders in police officers.

Methods and Materials:

 In a semi-experimental study, 47 shift work officers from the Mazandaran police force were investigated. Participants were randomly divided into intervention and control groups. The ergonomic intervention included three training sessions (sleep hygiene, ergonomic principles, and general exercise recommendations) and 16 practical sessions of corrective movements over 8 weeks. The control group did not receive any intervention. Before and immediately after the interventions, participants completed the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality and Nordic Musculoskeletal Disorder questionnaires. Data analysis was performed using SPSS software version 24.

The sleep quality score in the intervention group significantly decreased after the educational intervention program (P≤0.001). The Nordic questionnaire results showed that before the interventions, the highest percentage of disorders were reported in the back (81.8%), knee (68.2%), and shoulder (63.6%) regions. After the intervention, disorders in these areas significantly decreased to 40.9%, 36.4%, and 31.8%, respectively.

The results showed that training in sleep hygiene, ergonomic principles, and general exercise recommendations, combined with corrective movement exercises, can improve sleep quality and reduce musculoskeletal disorders. However, after two months of interventions, the average sleep quality score of participants still fell within the poor sleep quality level. Therefore, simultaneous training and practical corrective movement exercises are recommended to optimize sleep quality and decrease musculoskeletal disorders.