How frequent and long should rest periods be to prevent work-related musculoskeletal disorders?
Nobody knows for sure. However, physiological principles suggest that it is better to take short breaks frequently instead of a few breaks of longer duration. Shorter frequent breaks give the tissues of the body time to recover immediately after use. It may be better to think of such breaks as “recovery” breaks rather than “rest” breaks. It is important to design recovery breaks into jobs rather than merely telling employees to take breaks. Unless recovery breaks are a mandatory part of the work process, it is easy for supervisory and peer pressure to discourage taking recovery breaks. Back to top.
