The Effect of Ergonomics and Exercise Training on Musculoskeletal Disorders in Female Dairy Farmers

Primary outcomes

1. Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire

   Time frame: 14 weeks

   It is a scale used to determine the extent of pain in the musculoskeletal system. The purpose of this questionnaire is to identify and compare pain and complaints in parts of the body. There is an image showing the 9 parts of the body included in the questionnaire. These body parts; neck, shoulders, back, elbows, hands, waist, hips, knees and feet. The respondents are asked whether they have experienced problems such as pain and discomfort in their body parts in the last 12 months, in the last 4 weeks, and on the day of the assessment, and they are asked to mark this as yes or no.

2. QuickDASH

   Time frame: 14 weeks

   QuickDASH score of the mobility of the arm, shoulder, hand and its function by using the QuickDASH questionnaire. The QuickDASH is scored in two components: the disability/symptom section (11 items, scored 1-5) and the optional high performance sport/music or work modules (4 items, scored 1-5). A higher score indicates greater disability.

3. Beck Depression Inventory

   Time frame: 14 weeks

   The Beck Depression Inventory is a 21-question multiple-choice self-report inventory for measuring the severity of depression. Higher total scores indicate more severe depressive symptoms. The range of scores vary from 0 to 63 (highest possible total) for the whole test. A score of 0 - 10 indicates minimal depression, while a score of over 40 indicates extreme depression. No subscales were used for this outcome.

4. World Health Organization Quality of Life (Brief)

   Time frame: 14 weeks

   The World Health Organization Quality of Life brief is a 16 item quality of life scale covering four domains of QOL. Each item is scored from 1-5 with higher response employing a higher quality of life.