Is there a connection between the 'Unemployed' & Exercise?

According to the HSE, Stress, depression and anxiety accounted for half of the work-related ill health cases in 2021/2022, according to their latest health and safety statistics. Musculoskeletal disorders, were the second most common type of work-related illness, which represented 27% of ill health cases. Most of these were to do with back injuries (42%), or upper limbs / neck (37%). In total they found that 1.8million workers were suffering from a new or long standing work-related illness in 2021/22 - 41% of which were new cases. These numbers are massively worrying especially as these numbers have been increasing over the years at alarming rates.

So can exercise really help? Firstly, let's ensure that the meaning of 'Exercise' is clear and understood. It has been explained by Caspersen et al, that exercise is used as an umbrella term to encompass both physical activity and exercise. Physical activity involves bodily movement produced by skeletal muscles which expands energy, where as exercise is described as planned structured, repetitive and purposive in the sense of improvement or maintenance of one or more components of physical fitness. K. Mikklelsen et al. uses a model to demonstrate the effects of exercise and the potential benefits physical activity has on mental health. It suggests that exercise acts as a distraction from stress, anxiety and depression and that the chemicals released such as endorphins improves stress, anxiety and depression. M. Wegner et al. reviewed a meta-analysis that consisted of 48,207 participants and it was shown that exercise had improved depression.

Another perspective that we haven't yet considered, is how those who usually lead physical active lifestyles through regular exercise are left feeling mentally, once they become injured and unable to continue with their usual exercise routine. For many, exercise forms a part of their normal routine and can also play a big part in their social life. Being unable to do what you love and enjoy, can cause great frustration and a person can become irritable and demonstrate various other behavioural changes due to the change in their mood. There can be a harmful side with exercise, as with anything it should be in moderation. In 1990 J.S. Raglin et al discussed the detrimental effects as well as the benefits of Exercise on mental health. They found that excessive amounts of exercise can also have a negative impact on one's mood and behaviour.

In summary, stress, anxiety and depression were the lead cause for time off work. Second to this was Musculoskeletal injuries mainly back / upper body related. Many of these cases lead to being either dismissed by employers due to 'Not being fit for work' or by themselves deciding that they are better off by quitting their job. The impact this then has on society can be unfavourable to the economy. If you then delve deeper, it can correlate with people feeling over worked in work places due to workplaces being understaffed. Incorporating regular exercise in ones routine can help reduce this likelihood. Overall, it seems there is a personal benefit as well as economic benefits for people to lead Physically active lifestyles. It is then in my opinion, that we need to be doing more to ensure adults are maintaining a physically active lifestyle by eliminating the obstacles that are making it challenging in doing so. A good place to start, would be that aftercare / injury rehabilitation is made more readily available to all and not only those who can afford private health care and overall good education on Health and Fitness.