Physical capacity and work ability among middle-aged women in physically demanding work – a 10-year follow-up study

Abstract

The aim of this study was to ascertain changes in physical capacity and work ability among middle-aged women (over 45 years of age) who had worked on average 20 years between 1989 and 2000 in physically demanding work. The second aim was to consider whether there were any differences in changes of physical capacity between two different work demand groups (physically vs. mixed mentally and physically demanding work). The total relative changes in physical capacity varied from 33.3% decrease to 5.3% increase, depending on the physical capacity variables. The steepest decreases were in the dynamic strength of the upper limbs, squatting and in aerobic capacity, and only the body mass index increased over 10 years. The perceived work ability decreased from good to moderate among working women over 10 years. It is concluded that women who had physically demanding work had a greater decrease in physical capacity than women in mixed mental and physical work had. This study proposes that in physically demanding occupations, it is very important to promote workers’ physical capacity to enhance work ability and functional ability with increasing age.

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