Prevalence of Nonspecific Low Back Pain Among the Long Route Bus Drivers in Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Low back pain (LBP) causes significant socioeconomic loss due to work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs). Prolonged sitting and vehicle vibration cause back pain, a typical complaint among long-route bus drivers. This study aimed to determine the frequency of job-related nonspecific LBP among long-route bus drivers in Peshawar, Pakistan. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 348 bus drivers working at three bus terminals (Haji Camp, Lahore, and Daewoo Bus Terminals). Data were gathered from January 2022 to June 2022 using a uniform, modified Nordic questionnaire. The mean age of drivers was 44. The results show a high prevalence of LBP at 93.4%. The most frequently impacted age group was in their fourth decade of life, and the least affected were the septuagenarians. According to the current study, job-related LBP was common among bus drivers. The study findings showed that long-route bus drivers are at continuous risk of developing nonspecific LBP due to long driving hours, with the driver's weight and age as additional risk factors.