Feasibility of a Technology-Supported High-Intensity Interval Training Program for Occupational Drivers

Vollständiger Abstract

Worum geht es in dieser Arbeit?

This study assessed the feasibility of a technology-supported high-intensity interval training (HIIT) program for occupational drivers. A multiphase feasibility study incorporating participant feedback was conducted in Flanders, Belgium, including consultation, pilot, and intervention phases. Occupational drivers were randomized to a HIIT group, an active control group (mindfulness program), or a passive control group (no intervention). The 16-week, equipment-free HIIT program consisted of two 15-min sessions per week, delivered via a technology-supported mobile application, preceded by a 2-week baseline. Primary feasibility outcomes included program completion, session adherence, intervention fidelity, adverse events, and participant experiences, while changes in health-related outcomes were assessed as secondary exploratory outcomes using validated questionnaires. During the consultation (n = 11) and pilot (n = 2) phases, participants reported positive attitudes toward the intervention. Key barriers, including scheduling constraints (n = 5) and bicycle transportation (n = 4), informed refinements such as an equipment-free, technology-supported protocol and flexible scheduling. Of the 23 randomized participants across all groups, 16 participants initiated their assigned study protocol, and 10 completed all assessment points and were included in the final analysis. Of the nine participants allocated to the HIIT group, four initiated the intervention (44.4%), and three completed the program (33.3% of those allocated; 75% of those who initiated). Among the three completers, mean session attendance was 80.2%. Session fidelity was well maintained, but exercise-intensity fidelity could not be objectively confirmed. No exercise-related adverse events were reported. Participant feedback indicated generally positive usability but mixed acceptability of the technology-supported HIIT program among the three participants who completed the intervention. Exploratory individual-level changes in health-related outcomes were heterogeneous, with lower mean scores for depression, anxiety, stress, and fatigue. A technology-supported HIIT program was feasible among the small subgroup of occupational drivers who initiated it, with high session attendance. However, considerable pre-initiation attrition and low retention limit its feasibility for the broader target population. Observed health-related outcomes were heterogeneous and should be interpreted descriptively, warranting evaluation in a fully powered randomized controlled trial.