ABSTRACT:Tremblay, M, Prunault, C, Abboud, J, and Descarreaux, M. Associations between anthropometrics, physical determinants, and batting exit speed in elite female baseball athletes. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2026-This study examined the associations between anthropometric and physical determinants with ball exit speed, in elite female baseball athletes. Thirty-seven female athletes (17.2 ± 1.8 years) from the Académie de Baseball du Canada were evaluated during the 2024-2025 offseason. Assessments included height, body mass, upper-body power (seated medicine ball throw), lower-body strength (isometric mid-thigh pull), countermovement jump (CMJ) height, 30-m sprint, and batting ball exit speed using Trackman radar. Correlation and multiple regression analyses were performed to identify predictors of ball exit speed in female batters. All anthropometric and physical performance variables were significantly associated with ball exit speed (ranging from r = -0.55 to 0.65). The multiple regression model including age, body mass, and CMJ height explained 76.8% of the variance in ball exit speed (adjusted R2 = 0.768; p < 0.001). To conclude, age, body mass, and lower-body power are strong predictors of batting performance in elite female baseball athletes in development. These findings highlight the importance of physical capacity and power development in optimizing batting outcomes and inform talent identification and training strategies in women's baseball.

BACKGROUND:Chronic metatarsalgia (CM) causes significant pain and disability, affecting quality of life. Foot orthoses (FOs) including medially wedged designs with a metatarsal pad decrease excessive plantar pressure under the metatarsal heads, which is a suggested risk factor for developing CM. This FOs model may be effective in diminishing pain and improving function in these individuals. Thus, the objective of this trial will be to compare the effects of medially wedged FOs with a metatarsal pad and sham FOs on pain and foot function in individuals with CM. METHODS/DESIGN:This participant- and assessor-blinded superiority randomized controlled trial (RCT) with two parallel groups will be conducted in Trois-Rivières, Canada. Sixty-four participants with CM will be recruited from the Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières outpatient podiatry clinic and via social media invitations. They will be randomized into intervention (customized FOs) or control (sham FOs) groups and will be evaluated at baseline and after 6 and 12 weeks. The primary outcome will be: (1) mean pain during walking for the most painful foot during the past week. The secondary outcomes will be: (1) Foot Function Index, (2) Global rating of change and (3) the 5-level EQ-5D. DISCUSSION:Medially wedged FOs with a metatarsal pad are expected to provide a greater reduction in pain and improvement in foot function compared to sham FOs. This trial will help guide FOs prescription recommendations for managing foot pain in individuals with CM in the future. TRIAL REGISTRATION:ClinicalTrials.gov NCT06962475.

This study investigated how cycling expertise influences motor variability (MV) adaptations during fatiguing cycling. Thirty-two higher-skilled (HS) cyclists and thirty lower-skilled (LS) participants completed a cycling fatigue protocol while surface electromyography (vastus lateralis, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius lateralis), three-dimensional kinematics, and cadence were recorded. MV was quantified using coefficients of variation, and linear mixed models examined the effects of expertise, fatigue, and their interaction.Compared with LS, HS exhibited lower variability in VL and BF muscle activation, trunk kinematics, knee frontal motion, and cadence (p < 0.05). Fatigue altered variability in VL activation, trunk kinematics, knee and ankle motion, and cadence (p < 0.05). Expertise × fatigue interactions were observed for cadence variability (p = 0.02) and frontal knee variability (p = 0.006). HS displayed a transient increase in cadence variability during early fatigue, whereas LS showed sustained increases throughout the task. Conversely, frontal knee variability remained stable in HS but increased progressively in LS.These findings suggest that expertise under fatigue is expressed through selective regulation of task-relevant performance variables rather than global changes in neuromuscular variability.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE:Low back pain is multifactorial, making it difficult to isolate pain-related motor adaptations. Experimental pain models may help clarify these mechanisms. This systematic review evaluates lumbar delayed onset muscle soreness (DOMS) as a movement-evoked pain model and its effects on clinical, biomechanical and neuromuscular outcomes. DATABASES AND DATA TREATMENT:The meta-analysis (PROSPERO: CRD420251051399) included studies of healthy adults with experimentally induced DOMS, with outcomes assessed within 5 days under the influence of DOMS. Databases (MEDLINE, SCOPUS, CINAH) were searched (9/12/2025), with manual screening. Independent study selection, data extraction and risk-of-bias assessment (NIH Quality Assessment Tool) were performed. Random-effects meta-analysis calculated standardized mean differences (SMDs). Sensitivity analyses and GRADE (Cochrane) assessed robustness and evidence certainty. RESULTS:Eighteen studies were included (452 participants). DOMS significantly increased low back pain intensity (SMD: Day 1 with DOMS = 1.12, Day 2 = 0.94, Day 3 = 0.69, Day 4 = 0.49) and soreness (Day 1 = 1.94, Day 2 = 1.66, Day 3 = 0.88, Day 4 = 0.59). Pressure pain thresholds decreased significantly (Day 1 = -0.47, Day 2 = -0.44). Trunk extension maximal voluntary contraction decreased significantly (Day 1 = -0.67, Day 2 = -0.95, Day 3 = -0.84, Day 4 = -0.38), while trunk flexion range of motion and flexion relaxation ratios remained unchanged. CONCLUSIONS:Lumbar DOMS replicates low back pain features, movement-evoked pain, increased sensitivity and reduced muscle function, providing a non-invasive model to study short-term neuromuscular adaptations in a controlled setting. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT:This review highlights lumbar DOMS as a safe, non-invasive model to study short-term neuromuscular adaptations to pain to better understand pain mechanism. This synthesis provides foundational work for future studies using DOMS to explore LBP mechanisms. By clarifying its strengths (e.g., ecological validity for acute pain) and limitations (e.g., short duration, lack of pain-related psychological factors), we aimed to guide more standardized applications of this model in pain research.

Chronic primary low back pain (CLBP) and fibromyalgia (FM) have complex etiologies and management approaches. Further research is needed, particularly on subgroups like individuals with CLBP who also report signs and symptoms of FM (CLBP/FM+) to better understand their pain mechanisms and clinical profile. Examining psychological, pain-related characteristics, and physical activity could help identify subgroups of individuals with CLBP/FM+ and guide the development of targeted interventions. This study aimed to compare physical activity practice, pain and psychological characteristics of individuals with CLBP without signs and symptoms of FM (CLBP/FM−), CLBP/FM + and FM to better understand similarities and differences between these chronic pain conditions. Ninety-four individuals self-reporting CLBP (83

Demographic aging and extended working lives have prompted interest in the physiological changes that occur with age, particularly in the lumbar spine. Age-related declines in muscle quality and intervertebral disc alterations may reduce muscular endurance, strength, and postural stability, potentially increasing the risk of musculoskeletal injuries in older workers. As experienced workers play an important role in addressing labor shortages, understanding the impact of age-related physiological changes on the biomechanical properties of the lumbar spine is key to ensure safe and sustainable employment for aging individuals. This study aimed to compare the impact of daily work-related physical efforts on lumbar muscular endurance and fatigue, spine tissue properties, and postural stability between older and younger workers. A total of 40 participants, 20 in Group 1 (young workers: ≤50 years; mean age: 28.89 ± 7.23) and 20 in Group 2 (older workers: >50 years; mean age: 59.40 ± 5.29) were recruited. Measurements taken at the beginning and end of the workday included lumbar muscle endurance, maximal voluntary contraction, disc height and postural stability. Age groups were compared using repeated measures ANOVA across the two measurement times. No significant interaction between age and time of day was observed, indicating that, for similar workload, both age groups experienced similar changes. Despite age-related effects on maximal force production and postural stability, incorporating weight as a covariate revealed that these differences were partially explained by the weight discrepancy between older and younger workers. The study suggests that age may not be the primary determinant of the impact of a workday on older workers.

Background Foot orthoses (FOs) are commonly prescribed to reduce pain and improve function in individuals with musculoskeletal disorders, including those with chronic metatarsalgia (CM). Reducing the mechanical overload under the metatarsal heads during locomotion is the central point of the treatment for CM. Medially wedged FOs (MWFOs) with a metatarsal pad could further reduce pressure loading under the metatarsal heads and modify foot and ankle biomechanics compared to standard FOs (SFOs). Research Question Do MWFOs further decrease the peak plantar pressure under the metatarsal heads in individuals with CM compared to SFOs? What are the effects of these FOs on foot and ankle 3D kinematics and kinetics in individuals with CM? Methods Twenty-three individuals (17 females and 6 males) with CM were recruited in this cross-sectional descriptive study. Participants walked during three conditions: (1) Shod, (2) SFOs, and (3) MWFOs. Peak plantar pressure, midfoot and ankle angles and moments were calculated and compared across conditions with repeated measure ANOVAs using statistical parametric mapping. Results SFOs and MWFOs reduced plantar pressure under the metatarsal heads, ankle plantarflexion angle, and midfoot plantarflexion moment compared to shod. SFOs and MWFOs increased plantar pressure under the medial midfoot. MWFOs reduced plantar pressure under the 1st-2nd-3rd metatarsal heads during the second part of the stance phase and increased plantar pressure under the medial midfoot compared to SFOs. MWFOs also decreased midfoot dorsiflexion and inversion angles, ankle eversion angle, and ankle inversion moment compared to shod. Significance MWFOs were more effective than SFOs in reducing peak pressure under the 1st-2nd-3rd metatarsal heads and modifying lower limb biomechanics during walking. This reduction implies a pressure transfer from the metatarsal heads to the medial midfoot. These findings are promising to find the FOs model most suitable to reduce pain and improve physical function in individuals with CM.

This study aims to explore how Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) can induce changes in lumbar erector spinae neuromuscular activity, trunk kinematics and lumbar spine stiffness, and how DOMS can be confirmed as an experimental pain model for studying LBP mechanisms. Seventeen adult participants were asked to perform four sets of 25 repetitions of trunk flexion and extension. During these tasks, trunk muscle activity, spinal stiffness and kinematics were assessed. Our results suggest that in the presence of DOMS, significant increases in lumbar spine stiffness whereas only limited changes in flexion relaxation phenomenon parameters are observed.

Delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) is a noninvasive pain model offering a unique opportunity to study trunk neuromuscular adaptations. While prior research has examined regional muscle activation in the lumbar region, the spatial distribution of median frequencies (MF) under DOMS has not been explored. This study investigated the effect of DOMS-induced pain on the spatial distribution of MF in the lumbar erector spinae muscles and its association with trunk force variability during submaximal contractions. Twenty healthy adults completed 2 laboratory sessions: 1 pain-free and 1 under low back DOMS. High-density surface electromyography was recorded bilaterally on the erector spinae during submaximal isometric trunk extensions. MF distribution was analyzed using centroid coordinates with and without DOMS. Force variability was also assessed. DOMS significantly increased perceived muscle pain and soreness in the lumbar region. It also caused a cranial and medial shift of the MF centroid, significant on 1 side of the trunk. However, force variability remained stable between conditions. These results suggest that DOMS induces regional adaptations in lumbar muscle MF. The spatial distribution of MF may serve as a novel and sensitive marker of neuromuscular adaptation to pain. The trunk system was able to maintain force steadiness despite pain and soreness.

In baseball, batting performance can be measured using game and advanced statistics as well as hitting metrics. To date, the core set of individual characteristics or skills associated with superior batting performance remains to be identified. The aim of this scoping review was to identify and classify the individual characteristics or skills associated with baseball batting performance indicators and describe the methods used to assess these individual characteristics or skills and batting performance indicators. A scoping review design was chosen to conduct a systematic literature search. Electronic searches of MEDLINE, SPORTDiscus, and PsycINFO databases were undertaken from inception to August 2024. Cross-sectional studies that investigated the relationship between batting performance indicators and individual characteristics or skills in male or female baseball batters were selected. Twenty-two cross-sectional studies investigating potential individual characteristics or skills of baseball batting performance met the inclusion criteria. The primary baseball batting performance indicators were grouped into three categories: game statistics, advanced statistics and hitting metrics. Anthropometric measures (height, weight), physical fitness tests (1-RM bench and squat, grip strength, jumps, medicine ball throws, sprint, trunk flexibility, etc.), visual skills (visual acuity, contrast sensitivity, etc.), perceptual skills (anticipation, visual recognition, etc.) and visuomotor skills (eye-hand coordination, reaction time, etc.) were the individual characteristics or skills associated with either game statistics, advanced statistics or hitting metrics. Based on the studies included in this scoping review, the results show that several anthropometrics, physical, perceptual-cognitive, and visual skills were associated with superior game statistics, advanced statistics or hitting metrics. Greater height, weight, upper- and lower-body muscle strength, power, and speed, as well as oculomotor skills, visual system characteristics, anticipation, visual recognition, and visuomotor skills corresponded to better batting performance.

Purpose/aimTo investigate the impact of changing the rotational orientation of the vibrating motor on kinesthestic illusions.Materials and methodsTwenty healthy individuals received vibration over the wrist flexor muscles of dominant and non-dominant sides (80 Hz, 1 mm, 10 seconds) using four conditions (3 trials/conditions) defined by the rotational direction of the vibrator's eccentric rotating mass according to the anatomical position: (1) proximodistal, (2) distoproximal, (3) mediolateral and (4) lateromedial. Non-parametric statistical analyses were used to compare illusion characteristics across conditions.ResultsLateromedial rotation created illusions that were more often in unexpected directions compared to the other rotational orientations. Distoproximal rotation was more likely to evoke kinesthetic illusions of wrist extension (76.8%) compared to lateromedial rotation (57.7%; p = 0.009). The latter led more frequently to complex/combined movement illusions (26.1%) especially with an ulnar deviation component (17.7%) compared to the other rotational directions.ConclusionResults from the present study demonstrated that the rotational orientation can influence illusory perceptions, but not to a great extent. Distoproximal rotation was more effective to elicit the expected illusions of wrist extension, compared to the lateromedial orientation that more often caused complex and variable perceptions of movement. Distoproximal rotation should thus be preferred if clear and reproducible perceptions are required and lateromedial might serve as a way of creating illusions more akin to everyday functional movements. Although the exact underlying mechanisms remain unclear, our work raises awareness on the importance of gaining a better understanding and control over methodological factors that could affect kinesthetic illusions.

Altered neuromuscular strategies, such as lumbar muscle activity spatial redistribution, have been observed in individuals with chronic primary low back pain (CLBP), particularly during intense isometric efforts, but not during low-effort functional tasks. This cross-sectional study aimed to determine whether lumbar muscle activity distribution and trunk kinematics differ between individuals with CLBP and healthy controls during a dynamic, moderate-effort task, namely stair ascent and descent, and to investigate the relationship between muscle activity distribution and psychological factors of CLBP. Forty adults (20 CLBP, 20 controls) completed stair ambulation trials while lumbar high-density surface electromyography and kinematic data were recorded. Spatial redistribution and RMS amplitudes of electromyography were analyzed during ascent and descent, and across swing and stance phases. Participants with CLBP exhibited spatial redistribution of muscle activity on the left side during both phases of ascent, and during the swing phase of descent. Higher RMS amplitudes were observed bilaterally in CLBP participants across all tasks and phases, except during the stance phase of descent. No kinematic differences were found between groups. No relationship was found between muscle redistribution activity and psychological factors. These results suggest that CLBP participants exhibit altered neuromuscular strategies during stair ambulation, a moderately challenging functional task.

BACKGROUND:People with chronic low back pain (LBP) often experience pain evoked by movement (movement-evoked pain [MEP]). Although pain changes how people move, it remains unclear whether motor adaptations to LBP are specific to the pain-provocative movement. This crossover experimental study aimed to understand whether pain modulated by movement in different directions induces distinct motor adaptations, and if these adaptations are consistent with a purposeful strategy to minimise pain. METHODS:Thirty healthy adults performed a repetitive box lifting task in two experimental sessions. Experimental pain was induced in the lumbosacral region using nociceptive electrical stimulation, with intensity modulated proportionally to either lumbar flexion or extension. Within-subject changes in kinematics and centre of pressure were assessed both during and post-pain. RESULTS:During both sessions and over time, participants reduced their lumbar movement in the pain-provocative direction (p < 0.01), but not in the non-pain-provoking direction (p > 0.078). The reduction in lumbar flexion was strongly associated with perceived pain intensity (p < 0.001) and persisted beyond pain resolution (p < 0.001). Pain during lumbar flexion also induced other acute motor adaptations, including reduced elbow flexion (p = 0.027) and an anterior shift of the centre of pressure (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS:This study revealed that the direction of the pain-provocative movement is a determinant factor in motor adaptations to pain, with clinical implications in developing personalised, movement-based interventions for LBP. Further, motor adaptations were not simply a generic acute response to pain but evolved to minimise pain, supporting the proposal that MEP is a motivational stimulus for adaptive behaviour driven by learning. SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT:This study shows that motor adaptations to MEP are specific to the direction of pain-provocative movement, evolve over time and represent a purposeful strategy to reduce pain. These findings highlight the reciprocal interactions between pain and movement, supporting the rationale for assessing motor strategies in people with movement-evoked LBP.

ABSTRACT:Tremblay, M, Prunault, C, Vesco, C, Abboud, J, and Descarreaux, M. Validation of a supine upper-body power test in physically active male and female adults using a medicine ball with accelerometer. J Strength Cond Res 40(4): e346-e351, 2026-The purpose of this study was to validate a supine version of a medicine ball throw test for assessing upper-body power (UBP) in physically active male and female adults. Between session test-retest reliability, convergent validity, and agreement with the seated medicine ball throw protocol (SMBT) and criterion validity of the supine protocol were examined. In addition, the sensitivity of the supine protocol to upper-body neuromuscular fatigue was compared with grip strength measures. Thirty subjects (21 males, 9 females; mean age 26.93 ± 4.26 years) completed 2 experimental sessions 24-72 hours apart. In session 1, UBP was assessed using both the SMBT protocol and supine throw protocols, with peak velocity score (m·s -1 ) measured by an accelerometer-equipped 4-kilogram medicine ball. Grip strength was measured before, between, and after each medicine ball throw protocol. In session 2, grip strength and the supine throw protocol were assessed pre- and postfatigue, induced by repeated rounds of a push-up protocol. Results showed excellent test-retest reliability (intraclass correlation [2,1] = 0.94, 95% CI [0.88, 0.97]) of the supine throw protocol between sessions, and high correlation and agreement with the SMBT protocol ( r = 0.92, p < 0.001). Results of session 2 showed a significant fatigue-induced reduction in UBP supine throw performance ( p < 0.01), but grip strength changes were inconsistent. These findings suggest that the supine medicine ball throw protocol is a reliable and valid measure of UBP. This assessment seems to offer greater standardization and sensitivity to fatigue during specific targeted upper-body exercise compared with grip strength assessments.

During pregnancy, increased hormonal levels contribute to ligament laxity of the pelvis and could predispose to lumbopelvic pain. The main objective of this study was to assess changes in pregnancy-related hormones, neuromechanical adaptations and clinical pain status throughout pregnancy. An exploratory objective was to examine the possible association between those variables. Twenty-eight pregnant women participated in the study. At each trimester, they provided a blood sample (to measure relaxin, estrogen and progesterone), completed questionnaires assessing clinical status (functional disability, risk of poor prognosis of prolonged lumbar disability, avoidance behaviors, anxiety and pain catastrophizing), and were asked to perform a flexion-relaxation task (erector spinae electromyography and trunk kinematics). Results showed that throughout pregnancy, nocturnal and diurnal lumbopelvic pain intensity and related-disability, risk of poor lumbopelvic pain prognosis as well as avoidance behaviors increased, while pain catastrophizing decreased. Neuromechanical characteristics of flexion-relaxation task, including low back muscle activity and trunk kinematics, were similar across the three trimesters. Positive correlations were found between disability and estrogen levels (changes between first and second trimester, p = 0.05), and estrogen and diurnal lumbopelvic pain intensity (change between second and third trimester, p = 0.02). A positive correlation was also found between weight and the Pelvic Girdle Questionnaire score (changes between second and third trimester, p = 0.05). Negative correlations were found between weight (change between first and second trimester) and lumbopelvic maximal angle (p = 0.003), FRP onset for pelvic (p = 0.04) and lumbopelvic (p = 0.003) angles as well as FRP cessation for lumbopelvic angle (p = 0.001). These results show that, in pregnant women, pain and disability are associated with hormonal changes rather than trunk neuromechanical characteristics during a flexion-relaxation task. These results suggest that the flexion-relaxation task may not be an appropriate proxy to study vertebral and pelvic muscle control in pregnant women.

Objectif L’objectif principal de cette étude était d’identifier les régions anatomiques les plus fréquemment blessées et d’estimer l’incidence des blessures lors de la pratique compétitive du Kin-Ball. L’objectif secondaire était d’identifier des déterminants associés à ces blessures chez les joueurs de Kin-Ball. Matériels et méthodes Une série de questionnaires en ligne auto-administrés a été remplie par des athlètes compétitifs de la Fédération québécoise de Kin-Ball. Ces questionnaires comprenaient un questionnaire sur les données anthropométriques et sociodémographiques, un questionnaire sur la pratique du Kin-Ball, et une version française adaptée du Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Un modèle de régression logistique binaire a été généré pour identifier les déterminants associés à ces blessures. Résultats Sur un total de 134 répondants, 105 athlètes (78 %) ont subi une blessure au cours de l’année, pour un total de 214 blessures (moyenne de 2,04 blessures par athlète). Les blessures les plus fréquentes touchaient le genou (16 %), le coude (15 %) et la cheville/pied (14 %). Une augmentation du nombre d’heures d’entraînement hebdomadaires était associée à un risque accru de blessures (p=0,046 ; Exp(B)=0,716). Conclusion Cette étude a permis de quantifier l’incidence des blessures chez un groupe de joueurs de Kin-Ball et d’identifier les déterminants associés à ces blessures. Les genoux et coudes étaient les plus touchés. Une fréquence d’entraînement élevée était associée à un risque plus élevé de blessures, probablement en raison d’une plus grande exposition à des facteurs de risque et à des événements déclencheurs.

This study investigated the adaptability of trunk muscle responses to a series of unexpected external perturbations in patients with chronic low back pain (LBP). Thirty-seven adult participants, including 19 without LBP (control group) and 18 with chronic LBP, were submitted to 15 repetitions of trunk perturbations applied in a posterior-to-anterior direction, inducing trunk flexion. High-density surface electromyography (HDsEMG) was used to analyze lumbar muscle reflex amplitude. A two-way repeated measures ANOVA (2 × 2) was conducted to compare group differences and the effect of trial repetition over time (first five trials vs. last five trials of perturbations). Significant interaction effects were found on both sides (Left: p = 0.038; Right: p = 0.007). Post hoc comparisons revealed a decrease in response amplitude only in the control group between the first and last five perturbations, with reductions of 5.0

IntroductionTelework has become increasingly prominent as a flexible work arrangement, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic. For workers managing health conditions, it may support continued employment by influencing key work-related phenomena such as absenteeism, presenteeism and return to work (RTW) process. However, current evidence on the impact of telework on the work-related outcome to manage health condition in the workplace remains limited and fragmented.ObjectiveThis scoping review aimed to map the existing literature on the impact of telework on absenteeism, presenteeism, and RTW outcomes among adult workers with health conditions.MethodsIncluded studies were either qualitative, quantitative, or mixed methods, published in English or French, including adults with any physical or psychological health conditions. At least one outcome domain (absenteeism, presenteeism, or RTW) was required. Eight databases were searched from inception to May 2025: Medline, CINAHL, APA PsycINFO, Academic Search Complete, Business Source Complete, Scopus, Sociological Abstracts, and ABI/INFORM Global. Data extraction focused on study design, objectives, variables/definitions, sample size, health status, demographic characteristics, individual characteristics, organizational factors and results. Data were synthesized by the outcome domain (absenteeism, presenteeism, RTW) and stratified by study type (quantitative vs. qualitative).ResultsFrom 4,093 records, 21 studies were included. The majority of studies suggest that telework contributes to reduced absenteeism by increasing work flexibility. Telework is also consistently associated with facilitating RTW, particularly following surgery or in the context of chronic illness, by supporting work reintegration and shortening the duration of sick leave. In contrast, findings on presenteeism are conflicting: some studies report that telework increases the likelihood of working while sick, others suggest a decrease, and some report no significant impact or conflicting results. These outcomes appear to be influenced by contextual factors, including health status, demographic variables, individual characteristics, and organizational context.ConclusionTelework appears to offer flexibility that can reduce absenteeism and facilitate RTW. However, its impact on presenteeism is less consistent and may even encourage working while sick if not properly supervised. Future studies should examine which policies most effectively maximize the benefits of telework while minimizing potential drawbacks.