Lifetime Prevalence Of Low Back Pain Research Articles

Epidemiologic study of low back pain in 1398 Swiss conscripts between 1985 and 1992.

The two objectives of this study, based on a sample of 1398 Swiss army conscripts born in 1966 who participated in a first study in 1985, were to measure the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) at age 26 years and its incidence between 19 and 26 years and to analyze the relationship between LBP and occupational, nonoccupational, or physical risk factors. The lifetime prevalence of LBP at age 26 was 69.1% and the incidence of LBP between 19 and 26, 44.7%. A history of LBP or a pathological physical examination result at age 19 did not predict the prevalence or the incidence at age 26. Standing, twisting, vibration, and heavy work were significantly associated with chronic LBP and/or the 1-year prevalence of LBP at age 26 (P < 0.05). The evolution of sport and leisure-time activities from age 19 to 26 did not differ between people with or without LBP. The ergonomic organization of the workplace should represent a major element of future strategies to prevent LBP.

Interaction of height and mechanical loading of the spine in the development of low-back pain.

The relation of low-back pain to height and physical activity was examined among 2667 British men and women aged 20-59 years and selected from the general population. Information about occupational activities, height, and lifetime history of low-back pain was obtained from a postal questionnaire. The lifetime prevalence of low-back pain was 58.3%. After allowance for other occupational activities, the onset of low-back pain was strongly associated with heavy lifting at work (men: relative risk (RR) 2.0, 95% confidence interval (95% CI) 1.4-2.8; women: RR 2.2, 95% CI 1.3-3.5). For the men there was also an association with digging (RR 1.6, 95% CI 1.1-2.3). Risk of low-back pain increased with height among the men but not among the women. The risks associated with heavy lifting and digging were greater for the short than for the tall men. Thus the data provide no justification for excluding tall men from heavy manual tasks, despite their greater susceptibility to back problems.