Abstract
This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyze the effects of workplace interventions (WI) on clinical outcomes related to low back pain (LBP) in a worker population, and to assess socio-economic parameters as participants on sick leave, days of sick leave, and return to work following WI. A systematic literature search was performed to select randomized clinical trials that investigated the effectiveness of WI on return to work, sick leave, and working capacity of workers affected by nonspecific LBP. Fourteen articles were included in the review and meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed improvements in pain (p = 0.004), disability (p = 0.0008), fear-avoidance for psychical activity (p = 0.004), and quality of life (p = 0.001 for physical scale and p = 0.03 for mental scale) for patients who underwent WI compared to controls. Moreover, the pain reduction following WI was statistically significant in the healthcare workers’ group (p = 0.005), but not in the other workers’ group. The participants on sick leave and the number of days of sick leave decreased in the WI group without statistical significance (p = 0.85 and p = 0.10, respectively). Finally, LBP recurrence was significantly reduced in the WI group (p = 0.006). WI led to a significant improvement of clinical outcomes in a workers’ population affected by LBP.
Highlights
Non-specific low back pain (LBP) is a common worldwide disorder with a significant impact on productivity, work ability, and quality of life [1]
The inclusion criteria were randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in the English language published in the last twenty years, which investigated the effectiveness of workplace interventions on return to work, sick leave, and the working capacity of workers affected by nonspecific LBP
The evaluation of findings provided by the studies included in this review clearly showed that different types of workplace interventions (WI) determine a beneficial effect both on clinical outcomes and socio-economic parameters related to LBP in workers
Summary
Non-specific low back pain (LBP) is a common worldwide disorder with a significant impact on productivity, work ability, and quality of life [1]. LBP is characterized by persisting pain, muscle weakness, reduction of physical activity [2], and sleep disorders, which have serious consequences on a person’s quality of life by limiting daily life and work activities [3]. The lifetime prevalence of LBP in the general population is high and was estimated at about 60–70% in industrialized countries [6]. In the literature, there is evidence that the prevalence of this disorder in particular working populations and/or industrial/productive fields such as construction, forestry or fishing, agriculture, and healthcare sectors is significantly higher than in the general population [7].
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