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Effects of Combining Occupationally Relevant Physical and Cognitive Tasks. A Systematic Review.
Susanna Mixter1, Svend Erik Mathiassen1, Helena Jahncke1
1Centre for Musculoskeletal Research, Department of Occupational Health Sciences and Psychology, University of Gävle, 801 76 Gävle, Sweden.
Annals of Work Exposures and Health
|December 5, 2022
Summary
Combining physical and cognitive tasks at work can negatively impact biomechanical exposure, fatigue, and performance, especially when tasks are intense and complex. Alternating tasks shows minimal effects, similar to passive breaks.
Area of Science:
- Occupational Health and Safety
- Human Factors Engineering
- Ergonomics
Background:
- Many occupations require simultaneous physical and cognitive tasks.
- Previous research primarily focused on sports contexts, neglecting occupational relevance.
- This review synthesizes evidence on combined occupationally relevant tasks.
Approach:
- Systematic literature search across major databases (Scopus, Pubmed, Cinahl, Psychinfo).
- Inclusion of 61 controlled experimental studies (57 medium/high quality) on participants aged 18-70.
- Analysis of concurrent and alternating task combinations.
Key Points:
- Concurrent physical and cognitive tasks show small negative effects on biomechanical exposure, fatigue, and performance.
- Effects are contingent on task intensity (physical) and complexity (cognitive).
- Stress indicators showed mixed results; well-being was under-researched.
Conclusions:
- Concurrent tasks negatively impact performance and fatigue, particularly with intense physical and complex cognitive demands.
- Alternating tasks yield effects comparable to passive breaks, though research is limited.
- Future research should focus on ecologically valid, long-term effects of combined work tasks in field settings.
