Eficacia de un programa de escuela de espalda. Análisis de factores asociados a la actividad laboral de los participantes

Abstract

Introduction In spite of the relationship existing between exposure to physical workload and incidence of injuries, the aspects related with work activity has been sufficiently considered in studies on the effectiveness of back schools. This study has aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of a back school program oriented at workers, analyzing variables associated with exposure to physical workload. Material and methods A total of 319 subjects with low back pain or neck pain participating in the back school between November 2006 and November 2009 were included. The effectiveness of the back school was evaluated by means of a patient satisfaction questionnaire, and by assessment of pain and impairment with the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) and Oswestry questionnaire, respectively. Results We have identified two workload factors related to pain and impairment at the beginning of the treatment. The comparison of VAS and Oswestry scores before and after the program shows significant improvement. However, this improvement is associated with the initial scores and with physical workload factors. Conclusions It is possible that the improvement with unspecific measures as training and exercises in a back school may not be equally effective for patients who are exposed to greater physical demands at work.