Disclosures: Jocelyn M. Cepeda Servin, MD: No financial relationships or conflicts of interest

Objective: To evaluate the effects of a one-month indoor walking program on body mass index (BMI), the function of the knee and self-perceived quality of life in sedentary nurses.

Design: Quasi-experimental study. Setting : Public tertiary hospital. Participants : Forty-six sedentary nurses (no physical activity at least three times during the week in the last three months), male and female, aged 45.76±9.76 years; any previous knee surgery, current knee injury and medium or high cardiovascular risk were exclusion criteria.

Interventions: All participants performed a walking program for fifteen minutes daily, five days per week for one month on a preset circuit in the halls inside the hospital.

Main Outcome Measures: We measured BMI, knee functionality and self-perceived quality of life with Du Bois method, 24-item Western Ontario & McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) and World Health Organization Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS 2.0) respectively; we analyzed the differences between baseline and at the end of the program scores using t test and Wilcoxon test.

Results: BMI (28.25±4.07 to 27.58±3.85 kg/m2), WOMAC (15.09±15.65 to 9.87±11.94) and WHODAS (5.74±6.58 to 3.61±5.06) scores decreased after one month of intervention, all these differences were statistically significant (p= < 0.01); no adverse effects were reported. Conclusions: This research suggests that a short and feasible exercise program within the workplace could improve body weight, function of the knee and quality of life in physically inactive health workers; complementary studies with larger sample, longer follow-up and controlled group are needed.

Level of Evidence: Level II

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PM&R Meeting Abstracts - https://pmrjabstracts.org/abstract/effects-of-an-indoor-walking-program-on-body-mass-index-knee-functionality-and-self-perceived-quality-of-life-in-sedentary-nurses/