Effects of six month personalized endurance training on work ability in middle-aged sedentary women: a secondary analysis of a randomized controlled trial

To test the effects of guided endurance training on work ability in middle-aged female hospital workers of various occupations. We randomized 265 healthy, sedentary, middle-aged women (45-65 years) to an endurance training group (EG 210 min/week) or a wait-list control group (CG). At baseline and at 6-month follow-up, we assessed work ability (Work Ability Index [WAI]), physical activity (Freiburger activity questionnaire) and peak oxygen uptake (VO ) by cardiopulmonary exercise testing. To examine the influence of baseline work ability, participants were divided into poor-moderate (WAI 1, 7-36 points, = 83), good (WAI 2, 37-43 points, = 136) and excellent (WAI 3, 44-49 points, = 46) WAI subgroups. Cardiorespiratory fitness improved significantly after 6 months in the EG but not in the CG. The WAI total score increased significantly in the EG (38.3 ± 5.0 to 39.8 ± 4.9 points) but not in the CG (39.4 ± 4.7 to 39.3 ± 4.9 points), with a significant difference between groups (