[A case study of tailor-made exercise for preventing decrease in physical function: Analyzing the effect of tailor-made exercise from a motion study, motor function test, and questionnaire].

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to verify the effect of tailor-made exercise depending on the characteristics of a certain food manufacturing industry on the physical function and subjective symptoms of employees.

METHODS: For the development of tailor-made exercise, work analysis was carried out at each factory to comprehend the physical burden due to work load. The motor function test and questionnaire survey for subjective symptoms were conducted before and after exercise during 3 months. The motor function tests included the 30-s chair-stand test and two-step test.

RESULTS: There were significant improvements in the 30-s chair-stand test after tailor-made exercise intervention for men and women (men: 20.9±4.8 vs 27.9±5.1 counts/30 s, p < 0.01; women: 19.4±3.1 vs 23.7±2.7 counts/30 s, p < 0.01) but not in the two-step test. In addition, as a result of comparing the questionnaire survey for subjective symptoms before and after intervention, there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) in "stumbling and staggering within 1 month," "feeling of fatigue in the back," "feeling of fatigue in the right foot/ankle," and "feeling of fatigue in the left foot/ankle."

CONCLUSIONS: It is thought that the leg muscle strength increased due to tailor-made exercise, and the stumbling and staggering improved. In addition, feeling of fatigue in the back and in the right and left foot/ankle was improved. It was suggested that tailor-made exercise intervention can significantly affect the physical function of employees.