Eficacia de los periodos de recuperación en la prevención y reducción de síntomas musculoesqueléticos relacionados con el trabajo: revisión sistemática.

Abstract

Work-related musculoskeletal disorders continue to be a significant problem for occupational safety and health, especially when biomechanical exposure persists for prolonged periods without sufficient opportunities for recovery; the objective of this systematic review was to evaluate the effectiveness of recovery periods incorporated into the workday to prevent the onset of or reduce musculoskeletal symptoms and fatigue in workers; The PRISMA 2020 and PRISMA-S guidelines were followed, using a PICO strategy applied to experimental, quasi-experimental, and comparative studies published between 2020 and 2026, identified in PubMed/MEDLINE, SciELO, DOAJ, Redalyc, Google Scholar, and through citation tracking; after the final eligibility check, 29 reports corresponding to 25 unique studies were included, as four publications provided secondary analyses of studies already accounted for; the analyzed evidence suggests a favorable trend for certain active breaks, microbreaks, and postural variation strategies regarding pain, discomfort, fatigue, the need for recovery, and the onset of symptoms, although null, mixed, and dose-dependent results were also identified; The heterogeneity of study designs, interventions, outcomes, and sectors, along with limitations in methodological quality and the traceability of the initial search, precludes recommending a universal duration or frequency; therefore, implementation must be tailored to the biomechanical load, work organization, and actual conditions of each workstation.