Effect of Stair-Climbing Micro-Bouts on Cardiovascular and Psychosocial Health in Sedentary Office Staff: A Pre-Post Interventional Study
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.66021/pakmcr696Abstract
Background: Sedentary work patterns among office staff are associated with increased cardiovascular risk, fatigue, and psychological stress. Brief, intermittent physical activity performed during working hours may offer a feasible strategy to counteract the adverse health effects of prolonged sitting. Objective: To evaluate the effects of stair-climbing micro-bouts on blood pressure, resting heart rate, perceived fatigue, and perceived stress among sedentary office staff. Methods: A pre–post interventional study was conducted among 36 office employees at Khyber Medical University, Peshawar, Pakistan. Participants performed stair-climbing micro-bouts lasting 1–2 minutes every two hours during working hours, five days per week, for two weeks. Resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure, resting heart rate, perceived fatigue, and perceived stress (PSS-10) were assessed before and after the intervention. Pre- and post-intervention outcomes were compared using paired statistical tests, and effect sizes were calculated. Results: Following the intervention, significant reductions were observed in systolic blood pressure (−4.9 mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (−3.2 mmHg), and resting heart rate (−3.4 bpm) (all p < 0.001). Perceived fatigue decreased by 0.9 units, and perceived stress scores decreased by 2.8 points (p < 0.001 for both). Effect sizes ranged from moderate to large (Cohen’s d = 0.47–0.83). More than half of participants achieved clinically meaningful improvements across cardiovascular and psychosocial outcomes. Conclusion: Short, repeated stair-climbing micro-bouts integrated into the workday significantly improved cardiovascular and psychosocial health markers among sedentary office staff. This low-cost, time-efficient intervention represents a practical workplace strategy for reducing cardiometabolic risk and improving employee well-being in resource-limited settings.
