Associations between functional capacity and work ability among elderly municipal employees

Area of Science:

• Occupational Health
• Ergonomics
• Physiology

Background:

• Assessing work ability is crucial for maintaining workforce participation among aging populations.
• Objective measures of functional capacity are needed to accurately predict work ability.
• Previous research has explored links between physical function and work capacity with varying results.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the relationship between objectively measured physical and mental functional capacity and work ability in older workers.
• To identify which specific functional capacity measures best predict work ability.
• To explore the influence of musculoskeletal diseases on these relationships.

Main Methods:

• A study involving 137 workers (mean age 55 years) utilizing objective physical capacity tests (muscular strength, cardiorespiratory capacity) and mental capacity tests.
• Construction of a work ability index for correlation analysis.
• Subgroup analysis based on the presence or absence of musculoskeletal disease.

Main Results:

• Muscular strength showed the strongest correlation with the work ability index.
• Cardiorespiratory capacity did not significantly correlate with work ability overall, but showed a significant correlation in individuals without musculoskeletal disease.
• Visuomotor speed exhibited the highest significant correlation among mental capacity tests, though generally lower than physical capacity measures.

Conclusions:

• Objective muscular strength measurements are valuable for assessing work ability in older adults.
• Current cardiorespiratory and mental capacity tests may require refinement to better reflect work-related demands.
• Screening for musculoskeletal diseases is important when evaluating cardiorespiratory capacity in relation to work ability.