Risk Factors Associated with the Prevalence of Upper and Lower Back Pain in Male Underground Coal Miners in Punjab, Pakistan.

Madiha Ijaz,Kamran Mirza,Steven M Thygerson,Falaq Ali Nadeem,Sajid Rashid Ahmad,Muhammad Akram

doi:10.3390/ijerph17114102

Abstract

There is not enough data available on occupational health and safety issues of underground coal miners in Pakistan. This study focuses on spinal disorders in association with personal and occupational factors. The Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire was used for a cross-sectional study of 260 workers of 20 mines located in four districts of Punjab, Pakistan. Regression models were created for upper back pain and lower back pain of workers whose mean age is 19.8 years (±SD 1.47). Results identify the coal cutting as the most harmful work with odds ratios (ORs) 13.06 (95% confidence interval (CI) 13.7–21.5) for lower back pain and 11.2 (95% CI 3.5–19.4) for upper back pain in participants. Those with greater years of work experience had higher odds of upper back pain (2.4, 95% CI 1.4–3.5) and lower back pain (3.3, 95% CI 1.1–4.4). Number of repetitions (mean value 25.85/minute with ±SD 9.48) are also significant for spinal disorder with ORs of 4.3 (95% CI 3.2–7.4) for lower back and 1.3 (95% CI 1.0–2.4) for upper back. Many other occupational and personal factors are positively associated with the back pain in underground coal mines workers, requiring immediate ergonomic intervention.

Highlights

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), such as pain, tenderness, paresthesia and any other body discomfort, are reported to be associated with many occupations [1,2]
The occupational factors of underground coal mines and the personal factors of workers are found to be strongly associated with the pain in the upper and lower back of workers
There was a wide range of number of working hours/day, number of repetitions performed, height, weight, and Body Mass Index (BMI) of workers

Summary

Introduction

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), such as pain, tenderness, paresthesia and any other body discomfort, are reported to be associated with many occupations [1,2]. Pain in the upper and lower back is part of these MSDs [3]. People of every age and gender suffer from disorders in spinal structure and functions [4]. 15% to 20% of adults suffer from back pain each year [5]. The issue is common in both developing and developed countries of the world [6]. Degenerative spinal disorders are common in many Western countries [7]

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