Effects of yoga on stress, fatigue, musculoskeletal pain, and the quality of life among employees of diamond industry: A new approach in employee wellness

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Biman, Saranga^a | Maharana, Satyapriya^a | Metri, Kashinath G^{b; *} | Nagaratna, R^a

Affiliations: [a] SVYASA University, Bengaluru, India | [b] Department of Yoga, Central University of Rajasthan, Rajasthan, India

Correspondence: [*] Address for correspondence: Dr Kshinath G Metri, Assistant Professor, Department of Yoga, Central University of Rajasthan, University Road, NH-8, Bandar Seendri, Rajasthan 305817, India. Tel.: +91 9035257626; E-mail: kashinath@curaj.ac.in.

Abstract: BACKGROUND:Diamond industry employees often experience musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and stress, contributing to a low quality of life (QoL). Yoga is an ancient discipline of mind-body practice Yoga has numerous health benefits. OBJECTIVE:This study investigated the efficacy of workplace yoga in improving stress, musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, and QoL among employees of the diamond industry. METHODS:One-hundred sixty-six employees of the diamond industry between the ages of 20 and 60 participated in the study. Participants were assigned to either yoga (n = 84) or waitlist (n = 82) groups. The yoga group received one hour of yoga, four days a week for three consecutive months. Participants in the waitlist group followed their daily routines. Musculoskeletal pain, fatigue, stress, and QoL were assessed at baseline and after three months. RESULTS:One-hundred fifty-five employees completed the study. The yoga group showed significant (p < 0.05) improvement in pain, perceived stress, fatigue, and QoL domains after three months compared to baseline. The waitlist group showed no significant improvement in any of the measures. In the post scores comparison between the groups revealed a significant difference between the groups. CONCLUSION:Workplace yoga found to be a useful, cost-effective and feasible intervention in improving stress, musculoskeletal pain, fatigues and quality of life among employees of the diamond industry. Yoga may be implemented in the workplace as a wellness program at the workplace.

Keywords: Health, mind-body medicine, occupational health, pain, diamond industry

DOI: 10.3233/WOR-213589

Journal: Work, vol. 70, no. 2, pp. 521-529, 2021