Skip to main content

Physical Activity and Health in working life

The research unit Physical Activity and Health in Working life (FAS) is dedicated to research that advances the healthy work life. Work life also includes situations where you need to re-establish your working life. Therefore, FAS applies both mono and multi-disciplinary  research methods that provide an insight into the complexity of the working life.

The research unit has a specific focus on how physical activity may affect the work life, regardless if the physical activity takes place on the workplace or in spare time.

Over all, FAS contains a broad experience with different kinds of studies within different job sectors representing a range of exposures. The research unit has conducted workplace studies among  health care workers, surgeons, musicians, office employees as well as studies focusing on citizens on sickness absence.  

FAS’s goal is to create knowledge that benefits healthy working conditions in a life span perspective. Examples are:

  • Monitoring and mapping work related muscle and joint discomfort and pain within a a large number of Danish job sectors
  • Covering of mechanisms that can cause muscle pain and reduced muscle and joint function
  • Development of customized health checks
  • Development and evaluation of targeted efforts to promote a healthy work life
  • Welfare technological health promoting solutions
  • Understanding the human perception of and coping with difficult situations in work life such as sickness presenteism and absenteism.
  • Organizational conditions that can affect people that are in risk of notification of illness

Professor Karen Søgaard leads the research unit.  


Institut for Idræt og Biomekanik Syddansk Universitet

  • Campusvej 55
  • Odense M - DK-5230
  • Phone: +45 6550 3448

Last Updated 27.02.2023