Health at work: a critical review of audiovisuals that address workplace exercise

Work has an important role in people’s lives: in addition to providing means of living, it allows people to feel useful, productive, and valued. However, when performed in inadequate conditions, it can damage the worker’s health and cause diseases that result in physical and occupational inactivity. The aim of the present study is to critically analyze the content of videos addressing workplace exercise. Our exploratory and quantitative review was performed on the YouTube video platform in April 2019, using the descriptor “ginástica laboral” (in English, workplace exercise). We selected 104 Portuguese language videos according to their number of views. Out of these videos, only 11 provided complete information regarding workplace exercise; these were interviews with physical education and physiotherapy professionals that highlighted the need for and benefits of physical activity in maintaining worker health. In addition, these videos illustrated the correct execution of exercises, emphasizing the importance of company investment in workplace exercise for the health and well-being of their employees. This study demonstrates that, altogether, the quality of videos on this subject available on YouTube is low. Their publication is not automatically subjected to classic scientific review nor it is guaranteed by an academic expert, which results in variable quality and inaccurate or incomplete information that can easily propagate through this virtual platform and be falsely perceived as correct.