Use of physiological indicators as determinants of physical aptitude in work environments in Latin America: a systematic review

The use of physiological indicators to evaluate physical aptitude in the workplace is essential to ensure the health and well-being of employees, in addition to optimizing their performance. This descriptive and comprehensive research with the objective of exploring researches carried out in Latin America on the evaluation of physical abilities through physiological indicators in work environments during the period 2019-2023. A systematic review of the scientific literature was carried out, using the PICO (Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome) strategy. The search covered recognized databases such as PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science and SciELO, and was carried out in three languages (English, Spanish and Portuguese). Research was included that evaluates indicators such as aerobic capacity, heart rate, and muscle strength in employees from different economic sectors in the Latin American work context. The studies were selected according to the defined inclusion and exclusion criteria identified patterns, methods and findings on physiological indicators and physical fitness, concluding that their usefulness is not questionable, allowing the intensity and physical workload of work to be estimated, as well as determining the activity times and contribute as a biomarker in ergonomic interventions.