Abstract
ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study is necessary considering the expressive number of rural workers that are not assisted by a health professional despite the presence of musculoskeletal changes such as low back pain. Thus, the objective was to check if there is a relationship among low back pain levels, anthropometric measures and range of motion of rural workers. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with rural workers that used the visual analog scale to measure low back pain. The data on body mass index, fat percentage, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio and visceral fat area were obtained, as well as the assessment of posterior chain range of motion. RESULTS: Fifty-five rural workers were evaluated, with a predominance of women and married. Of the subjects evaluated, 37 (67.3%) reported low back pain, with an average pain of 3.4±2.7. More than half of the sample presented values of body mass index, fat percentage, waist circumference and waist-hip ratio considered undesirable. Those with pain had higher values of body mass index and visceral fat area. CONCLUSION: Rural workers with low back pain presented higher values of body mass index and visceral fat area, as well as those with an inadequate range of motion in the same region who had higher values of visceral fat area and pain. It is also possible to infer that there is an association between the values of body mass index and visceral fat area with the level of pain, just as the waist-hip ratio is associated with the levels of the range of motion.
Highlights
Worker’s health has been highlighted in research in the area of collective health, a fact that is related to the incidence of health problems arising from work activity
The data considered for the anthropometric evaluation was the total obesity indexes such as body mass index (BMI) and percentage of fat (%G), and fat location such as waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR) and area of visceral fat (AVF)
The present results show that both BMI and AVF are related to pain and its intensity in rural workers
Summary
Worker’s health has been highlighted in research in the area of collective health, a fact that is related to the incidence of health problems arising from work activity. Estimates indicate that from 60 to 80% of the general population will have low back pain at some point in life[1] Such disorders in the spine, which are expressed in pain, lead to the impairment of work activities and postural changes. Considering that Brazil has a significant number of workers in this sector whose health needs are not monitored, it is evident the importance of knowing their illness profile In this context, the present study is justified since it addresses the painful symptoms, referred to as common in rural workers, trying to identify the contributing elements associated with physical fitness. CONCLUSION: Rural workers with low back pain presented higher values of body mass index and visceral fat area, as well as those with an inadequate range of motion in the same region who had higher values of visceral fat area and pain.
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