Tea workers’ pain decreased, and their sleep quality improved

A new academic study conducted on tea workers in Rize revealed that regular exercise programs supported by ergonomics training significantly reduced musculoskeletal pain, while meaningfully improving sleep quality and daily functionality.

The study was supervised by Assoc. Prof. Ömer Şevgin, a faculty member of the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation and carried out by physiotherapist İlayda Gür. The research examined the effects of a holistic intervention applied to tea workers over a 12-week period. Emphasizing the importance of holistic approaches to tea workers’ health, Assoc. Prof. Şevgin stated, “Tea farming requires extremely intensive physical effort. Providing exercise together with proper working habits both protects workers’ health and increases work efficiency.”

The thesis study, conducted in Rize under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Ömer Şevgin from Üsküdar University Faculty of Health Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation, examined the effects of a 12-week holistic intervention applied to tea workers.

Physical workload is very high, pain becomes inevitable

Within the scope of the research, 60 workers actively employed in tea farming in Rize were evaluated. The study highlighted that tea harvesting requires prolonged standing, working in a bent position, and repetitive hand and arm movements. Carrying collected tea on the shoulders and back was found to cause intense pain, particularly in the neck, lower back, upper back, and shoulder regions.

It was determined that the majority of participants complained of musculoskeletal pain, especially in the neck and lower back areas, before the intervention.

Striking results in the group that received exercise

While all workers received ergonomics training, one group additionally participated in an exercise program consisting of three sessions per week, each lasting 40 to 50 minutes. The program included stretching, muscle strengthening, balance, and posture exercises. The results obtained at the end of 12 weeks were remarkable. In the group that received both ergonomics training and exercise, pain levels in all body regions decreased significantly, sleep quality improved markedly, and substantial improvements were observed in hand, arm, and shoulder functions. In contrast, the group that received only ergonomics training showed limited improvement in shoulder and lower back pain.

A holistic approach improves both health and productivity

Commenting on the findings, Assoc. Prof. Ömer Şevgin emphasized that the results clearly demonstrate the importance of holistic approaches to tea workers’ health and made the following assessment: “Tea farming is an area that requires extremely intensive physical effort. Neither ergonomic arrangements alone nor exercise alone is sufficient. Providing exercise together with proper working habits both protects workers’ health and increases productivity.”

Assoc. Prof. Şevgin also stated that the studies conducted within the Department of Physiotherapy and Rehabilitation at Üsküdar University aim to produce practical, applicable, and effective solutions to social problems and to strengthen the aspect of science that directly engages with real life.

Preventive programs should be institutionalized

Physiotherapist İlayda Gür, who conducted the study, pointed out that although musculoskeletal pain is very common among tea workers, solution-oriented practices in this field remain limited. She stated, “Tea workers almost accept working with pain as normal. However, regular ergonomics training, preventive exercise programs, and physiotherapist support can be provided at an institutional level. This study clearly shows how effective such interventions can be.”