Risk Factors For Back Pain Research Articles

Risk Factors Associated With Low Back Pain in Golfers: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

Context:Low back pain is common in golfers. The risk factors for golf-related low back pain are unclear but may include individual demographic, anthropometric, and practice factors as well as movement characteristics of the golf swing.Objective:The aims of this systematic review were to summarize and synthesize evidence for factors associated with low back pain in recreational and professional golfers.Data Sources:A systematic literature search was conducted using the PubMed, CINAHL, and SPORTDiscus electronic databases through September 2017.Study Selection:Studies were included if they quantified demographic, anthropometric, biomechanical, or practice variables in individuals with and without golf-related low back pain.Study Design:Systematic review and meta-analysis.Level of Evidence:Level 3.Data Extraction:Studies were independently reviewed for inclusion by 2 authors, and the following data were extracted: characterization of low back pain, participant demographics, anthropometrics, biomechanics, strength/flexibility, and practice characteristics. The methodological quality of studies was appraised by 3 authors using a previously published checklist. Where possible, individual and pooled effect sizes of select variables of interest were calculated for differences between golfers with and without pain.Results:The search retrieved 73 articles, 19 of which met the inclusion criteria (12 case-control studies, 5 cross-sectional studies, and 2 prospective longitudinal studies). Methodological quality scores ranged from 12.5% to 100.0%. Pooled analyses demonstrated a significant association between increased age and body mass and golf-related low back pain in cross-sectional/case-control studies. Prospective data indicated that previous history of back pain predicts future episodes of pain.Conclusion:Individual demographic and anthropometric characteristics may be associated with low back pain, but this does not support a relationship between swing characteristics and the development of golf-related pain. Additional high-quality prospective studies are needed to clarify risk factors for back pain in golfers.

Back Pain and Co-occurring Conditions

Cross-sectional population-level health survey. To describe the frequency of co-occurring conditions with back pain; to identify risk factors for back pain controlling for co-occurring conditions; and to examine the association between back pain and individual co-occurring conditions. Back pain shares risk factors with a range of other conditions. Most studies have considered risk factors for back pain without taking into account the potential influence of co-occurring conditions. Analysis of the 2013 Canadian Community Health Survey (n = 61,854, age ≥15 yr). Back pain status and co-occurring conditions were determined from questions about long-term health conditions diagnosed by a health profession. Multivariable log-Poisson regression analysis was used to assess the adjusted association of back pain with demographic and lifestyle characteristics and co-occurring conditions. The population prevalence of reported back pain was 19.3%. Most (71%) reported at least one co-occurring condition. Most frequently reported were arthritis (35%), high blood pressure (26%), migraine (18%), and mood disorders (14%). Following the addition of co-occurring condition count to the regression model, being female and being overweight/obese were no longer significantly associated with back pain, and the associations with ages 45 to 54 years and older, low-income, smoking, and being physical inactive were significantly attenuated. The highest prevalence ratio, 3.32 (95% confidence interval: 3.06-3.59), was for 3+ co-occurring conditions. In multivariable regression all but a few individual chronic conditions remained significant associated with back pain. Established risk factors for back pain may be largely a reflection of shared risk factors with co-occurring conditions. The high frequency of co-occurring conditions likely reflects diverse mechanisms related to heterogeneity of back pain. The extent of association of co-occurring conditions with back pain has implications for clinical management and need for further research to characterize subgroups. 2.

Prevalence of Back Pain in Secondary School Students in an Urban Population: Cross-sectional Study.

IntroductionThe prevalence of low back pain (LBP) among secondary school students is increasing. The magnitude of the problem is not well quantified. Evidence shows LBP in adolescents can be a significant risk factor for back pain in adulthood. The present study aimed to determine the lifetime prevalence of LBP among secondary school students from schools of an urban metropolitan city and the prevalence of LBP in the presence of associated factors.MethodsThis cross-sectional analytical study was done using a validated semi-structured questionnaire (N = 555; response rate, 85.3%). Secondary school students between the age of 12 and 15 years from three randomly selected urban secondary schools of Mumbai, India were recruited for the study.ResultsWe analyzed the data for prevalence and odds ratios (OR), and we conducted a univariate analysis to determine the significance of LBP prevalence. We found the lifetime prevalence of LBP was high (32.9%). The prevalence of LBP was highly significant (p < .0001) among girls (confidence interval [CI]: 1.5 to 3.2; OR: 2.2), those who felt their school satchel was heavy (CI: 1.7 to 3.5; OR: 2.4) and those who watched television (TV; CI: 0.03 to 0.28; OR: 0.09).ConclusionWe noted a high prevalence of LBP among adolescents. LBP had a significantly high prevalence among girls and in the presence of factors like a heavy school satchel and watching TV. LBP in adolescence is a significant risk factor in developing back pain in adulthood, and our findings highlight the need for awareness of LBP among stakeholders like educationists, policymakers, medical professionals and parents given the possible detrimental effects on adolescent children.

Incidence and risk factors for back pain in young floorball and basketball players: A Prospective study.

The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of back pain in young basketball and floorball players under 21years of age. The secondary aim was to examine risk factors especially for low back pain (LBP). Nine basketball and nine floorball teams (n=396) participated in this prospective follow-up study (2011-2014). Young athletes (mean age 15.8±1.9) performed physical tests and completed a questionnaire at baseline. The follow-up lasted 1-3years per player. During the follow-up, back pain reported by the players was registered on a weekly basis and verified by a study physician. The exposure time (AE) on team practices and games was recorded by the coach. Altogether back pain was reported 61 times by 51 players. The incidence of back pain was 87 per 1000 athlete-years and 0.4 per 1000hours of AE. Hamstrings, quadriceps and iliopsoas extensibility and general joint hypermobility were not associated with LBP. Furthermore, no association between LBP and leg extension strength or isometric hip abduction strength asymmetry was found in these young basketball and floorball players. In conclusion, back pain can lead to a considerable time-loss from training and competition among young basketball and floorball players and the pain tends to reoccur. Lower extremity muscle extensibility, general joint hypermobility or investigated lower extremity strength measures were not associated with the risk of LBP.

We might be getting it wrong if we do not consider genetics in osteoarthritis and back pain: insights from twin studies

Purpose: To investigate the potential risk factors associated with the development of osteoarthritis/low back pain, after considering genetics as a potential confounder. Methods: An extensive body of research, including systematic reviews of non-twin studies and randomised control trials involving twins, was conducted by our group. Our study findings were compared to systematic reviews conducted under the Cochrane framework. Results: Our systematic review of non-twin studies has shown that depression is a risk factor for back pain (pooled OR = 1.59; 95%CI: 1.26 to 2.01), however the risk is significantly attenuated and disappears when the effects of genetics on the depression-low back pain relationship is considered in twin studies (OR = 0.92; 95%CI: 0.42 to 2.05). Not surprisingly, the results of systematic reviews conducted under the Cochrane framework investigating the effects of anti-depressants for back pain have shown no effects (pooled effect = -0.04; 95%CI:−0.25 to 0.17). Our research using twins has shown that the risk of developing back pain in people with poor sleep quality is more pronounced when the effects of genetics on the sleep-low back pain relationship is considered (OR = 2.2; 95%CI:1.2 to 3.7) as opposed to when it is not (OR = 2.0; 95%CI:1.6 to 2.5). Conclusions: Our research has shown that when a more robust and precise analysis is undertaken to consider the confounding effects of genetics, other potential modifiable risk factors associated with osteoarthritis and back pain may emerge and be more pronounced. Therefore, further research should take into consideration people's genetic predisposition to the development of osteoarthritis/back pain or the related risk factors. Ultimately, a more precise identification of the factors that prevent or cause recurrent osteoarthritis and low back pain will be a significant breakthrough, and will inform the design of effective prevention and treatment strategies. This will have significant impact to the individual and society.

Factors associated with high physical exertion during manual lifting: Cross-sectional study among 200 blue-collar workers

High physical exertion during work is a risk factor for back pain and long-term sickness absence. To investigate which factors are associated with physical exertion during manual lifting. From 14 workplaces across Denmark, 200 blue-collar workers reported perceived physical exertion (Borg-CR10) during manual lifting from floor to table height of 5, 10, 20 and 30 kg at the beginning and end of the working day. The workers also responded to a questionnaire and went through testing of isometric back muscle strength. Associations were modelled using logistic regression analysis controlled for various confounders. The outcome was dichotomized into low (0-4) and high (5-10) physical exertion. Gender (OR 8.57 [95% CI 4.46-16.46] for women), load (OR 4.22 [95% CI 3.58-4.97] for each 5-kg increase), back muscle strength (OR 0.43 [95% CI 0.23-0.83] for high), and back pain intensity (OR 2.80 [95% CI 1.43-5.48] for high) were associated with high perceived physical exertion. Age, smoking, Body Mass Index (BMI), and time of the day were not associated with physical exertion. Gender, load, back muscle strength and back pain influence physical exertion during manual lifting in blue-collar workers. These factors should be considered when planning work with manual lifting for individual workers.

Factors associated with the prevalence of back pain and work absence in shipyard workers

BackgroundWe conducted a questionnaire survey of shipyard workers to identify difficulties experienced due to orthopedic or musculoskeletal disorders.MethodsThe subjects were 375 workers (male, 361; female, 14) who worked for a single shipbuilding company. Questionnaire items covered the working environment, including work environment, working posture, and the weight of objects that the subject dealt with, as well as physical and lifestyle characteristics, namely smoking habits, drinking habits, sleeping hours, medications, exercise habits, and any weight gain of 20 kg or more since the age of 20. Subjects were also asked to indicate if they regularly experienced any of 17 listed difficulties in their daily lives, and to use an illustration of the human body to mark any body parts that were painful or hard to move.ResultsThe mean age was 41.8 years (19–73 years). The lower and/or upper back was the most frequent site of pain (46.5%), followed by the shoulders (11.4%), knees (9.6%), and neck (5.3%). Maintaining a half-sitting posture was the most problematic activity of daily living. Back pain was less frequent in subjects who exercised regularly, and more common in those who worked with heavy loads or in narrow spaces. A multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that absence from work was more common in subjects with back pain who had gained weight since their youth, who smoked, who used fire while welding metal, or who worked in a lying posture. While 35.4% of subjects had experienced absence from work due to musculoskeletal pain, only 5.1% were permitted by their employer to alter their work content or reduce their workload.ConclusionsThese results indicate that a large number of shipyard workers have difficulties in their work and daily life activities due to back pain. To prevent worsening of pain and to reduce work absence, it is important to provide appropriate training to minimize the risk factors for back pain that were identified in this study.

Three methods for reducing back pain in older adults with age-related osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures of the thoracolumbar spine: protocol for a non-randomized controlled trial with 2-year follow-up and preliminary results

Background and objectives: Osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture of the thoracolumbar spine manifests clinically as back pain. Percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) and percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP) are the preferred treatment methods for this disorder. Our previous studies have shown that both procedures effectively reduce back pain at 6 months post-surgery in older adults with age-related osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures of the thoracolumbar spine. Little is documented about longer-term pain relief after PKP and PVP. The aim of this prospective, single-center, non-randomized, controlled trial is to investigate long-term and medium-term back pain relief after PKP, PVP, and non-surgical treatment of this condition and to analyze risk factors for ongoing back pain. Design: A prospective, single-center, non-randomized, controlled trial. Methods: This study will include 900 patients with age-related osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture of the thoracolumbar spine scheduled to receive treatment at Qinghai Provincial People’s Hospital. Patients will be assigned to receive PKP, PVP, or nonsurgical treatment (rehabilitation and traditional Chinese medicine; n = 300 per treatment method). Patients will have follow-up evaluation at 1 week and 1, 3, 6, 12, and 24 months. Outcome measures and preliminary results: The primary outcome measure is the prevalence of back pain 24 months post-surgery. Secondary outcome measures are prevalence of back pain at other time points; Visual Analogue Score, Oswestry Disability Index, Japanese Orthopedic Association score, and X-ray morphology before surgery and at all postoperative time points; and incidence of adverse events at each postoperative time point. A pilot study of 621 patients with osteoporotic vertebral compression fracture of the thoracolumbar spine revealed that Visual Analogue Score and Oswestry Disability Index were significantly lower 6 months postoperatively than prior to PKP or PVP, with only 15% of patients having ongoing back pain. Risk factors for back pain were bone cement leakage (direction, volume, and scope) and adverse reactions (P Ethics and dissemination: The study protocol was approved by Medical Ethics Committee, Qinghai Provincial People’s Hospital of China in April 2017 (approval No. RM006G). This study will be performed in strict accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki developed by the World Medical Association. Written informed consent will be obtained from each patient. The study protocol was designed in March 2017. Patient recruitment and data collection will begin in September 2018. Patient recruitment will end in September 2019. Data analysis will be performed in October 2021. The whole study will end in November 2021. Results will be disseminated through presentations at scientific meetings and/or by publication in a peer-reviewed journal. Trial registration: This trial was registered with the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (registration number: ChiCTR1800016493). Protocol version: 1.0.

Dietary Advanced Glycation End Products Have Sex- and Age-Dependent Effects on Vertebral Bone Microstructure and Mechanical Function in Mice.

Back pain is a leading cause of global disability that can arise from vertebral fracture and osteoporosis. Although poor general health and obesity are among the strongest risk factors for back pain, there is remarkably little known about how diet influences spinal diseases. Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) are implicated in increased fracture risk, yet no studies investigated how dietary AGEs affect spinal health. We tested the hypothesis that high dietary AGE ingestion will diminish vertebral structure and function in a sex- and age-dependent manner. Female and male mice were fed low-AGE (L-AGE) or high-AGE (H-AGE) isocaloric diets for 6 and 18 months and multiple measurements of bone structure and function were taken. AGE levels in serum and cortical vertebrae were increased only for 6-month-old H-AGE female mice while blood glucose and body weight remained normal for all animals. When fed an H-AGE diet, 6-month-old female mice had inferior vertebral trabecular structure with decreased bone mineral density (BMD) and bone volume fraction. Biomechanical testing and analytical modeling further showed functional deterioration in 6-month-old H-AGE females with reduced shear and compression moduli, and maximum load to failure. At 18 months, H-AGE mice of both sexes had significant but small decreases in cortical BMD and thickness, yet functional biomechanical behaviors were not distinguishable from other aging changes. We conclude that an H-AGE diet, without diabetic or overweight conditions, diminished vertebral microstructure, mechanical behaviors, and fracture resistance in young female mice in a manner suggesting accelerated bone aging. © 2017 American Society for Bone and Mineral Research.

Back pain in pregnancy among office workers: risk factors and its impact on quality of life.

Background Back pain is a common presenting complaint during pregnancy and it is often being considered as part of the pregnancy process. The purpose of the study is to investigate the prevalence of back pain in pregnancy, risk factors and its impact on the quality of life in pregnant women. Materials and methods Three hundred and fifty-eight pregnant women who attended the antenatal clinic in Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM) Medical Centre were recruited in this cross-sectional study from October 2011 until April 2012. The back pain was further classified into lumbar pain and posterior pelvic pain. The severity of back pain was assessed using visual analoque scale (VAS) and the functional limitation was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Questionnaire (ODQ). Result The prevalence of back pain in pregnancy was 84.6%. Occupation and previous history of back pain were associated with back pain in pregnancy. In terms of functional limitation disability, total ODQ score was statistically significant correlate with severity of pain (VAS score). Personal care, sitting, standing, sex life and social life were significantly affected. Conclusion The risk factors for back pain in pregnancy were type of occupation and history of back pain. The higher VAS score, the more ODQ will be affected. Personal care, sitting, standing, sex life and social life were significantly affected.

Prior depression and incident back pain among military registered nurses: A retrospective cohort study

BackgroundOccupational back pain rates are substantial among registered nurses, and nurses also report high rates of depression. The role of depression as a potential predictor of back pain among nurses appears understudied. ObjectivesThe objective of the study was to determine whether a history of depression predicted incident back pain in a population of military registered nurses when controlling for relevant risk factors. DesignWe employed a retrospective cohort approach using longitudinal data in which gender-specific subject groups were followed from the beginning of duty as a registered nurse to the occurrence of an outcome, or to censoring due to completion of service or the end of available data. ParticipantsThis study included all United States Army registered nurses who began work during 2011–2014 without evidence of prior back pain in clinical records. MethodsData from automatically-collected medical and administrative sources were combined and used to provide 2134 person-years of observation on 1248 individuals. These data were organized at the person-month level in a panel data structure to support discrete-time multivariable logistic regression models. The models examined the relationships between prior depression, Body Mass Index, the presence of prior combat duty and selected control variables and the outcome, the incident occurrence of back pain. ResultsThe incidence rate of back pain was 18.6 per 100 person-years and the period prevalence was 31.7%. Prior depression was a statistically-significant predictor of incident back pain among female subjects (odds ratio [OR]: 1.75, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.08–2.83, P-value<0.05). Body Mass Index of 30kg/m2 or greater, prior combat deployments, and age 36 years or older was each associated with back pain for male and female nurses. ConclusionsThe study’s findings provide the first evidence of a temporal link between antecedent depression and later back pain among female military nurses. High Body Mass Index was found to be a further, modifiable risk factor for back pain in this population.

Predictors of Back Pain in Middle-Aged Women: Data From the Australian Longitudinal Study of Women's Health.

Back pain causes greater disability worldwide than any other condition, with women more likely to experience back pain than men. Our aim was to identify modifiable risk factors for back pain in middle-aged women. Women born between 1946 and 1951 were randomly selected from the national health insurance scheme database to participate in The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women's Health. Self-reported data on back pain in the last 12 months, and on weight, physical activity, and other sociodemographic factors, were collected in 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, and 2013. In 1998, a total of 12,338 women completed the survey and 10,011 (74%) completed the 2013 survey. At baseline, median (range) age was 49.5 years (44.6-53.5 years), and 54% reported back pain. In multivariate analysis, baseline weight and depression were positive predictors of back pain over each 3-year survey interval and over the following 15 years, whereas participation in vigorous physical activity was protective. The effects of weight on back pain were most marked in women with a body mass index of ≥25 kg/m2 . Back pain is common in middle-aged women. Increased weight, weight gain, and depression were independent predictors of back pain over 15 years, whereas participation in vigorous physical activity was protective. Targeting these lifestyle factors is an important area for future research on reducing the burden of back pain in middle-aged women.

A Survey on Low Back Pain Risk Factors in Steel Industry Workers in 2015.

Study DesignThis was a cross-sectional study.PurposeThe aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of low back pain (LBP) and its association with individual factors and current job status among steel industry workers in Mashhad, Iran.Overview of LiteratureSeveral studies have been conducted on LBP and its related risk factors, some of which emphasized oc-cupational factors as the main etiology of LBP. Meanwhile, individual risk factors have been emphasized in other studies. Despite several published articles, there are still many unresolved, basic issues about developing LBP.MethodsFor this study, 358 male workers were selected by a random sampling method and divided into two groups: production workers (n=201) and administrative personnel (n=157). Data were collected using modified Nordic questionnaire and physical examination. Statistical analysis was performed to identify the correlation between individual factors and current job status with LBP.ResultsDespite the young age of participants and their short employment duration, the overall prevalence of LBP was high (32.4%) in this industry. The prevalence of non-specific LBP in production workers and administrative personnel was 26.8% and 21.0%, respectively. Disk herniation was observed in 10.4% of production workers and 6.3% of administrative personnel. Age, employment duration, body mass index and smoking status were similar in the two groups. There was no significant relationship between LBP and current job status; however, a significant relationship was found between prevalence of LBP with age, duration of employment, and leisure time physical activity (p<0.05).ConclusionsWe have not found any relationship between LBP and current occupational status suggesting that the effects of general health-related factors such as weight, age, leisure time physical activity, and duration of employment are more important than occupational factors in developing LBP.

Participatory organizational intervention for improved use of assistive devices for patient transfer: study protocol for a single-blinded cluster randomized controlled trial.

BackgroundEpidemiological studies have shown that patient transfer is a risk factor for back pain, back injuries and long term sickness absence, whereas consistent use of assistive devices during patient transfer seems to be protective. While classical ergonomic interventions based on education and training in lifting and transferring techniques have not proven to be effective in preventing back pain, participatory ergonomics, that is meant to engage and motivate the involved parties while at the same time making the intervention maximally relevant, may represent a better solution. However, these findings are largely based on uncontrolled studies and thus lack to be confirmed by studies with better study designs. In this article, we present the design of a study which aims to evaluate the effect and process of a participatory organizational intervention for improved use of assistive devices.MethodsThe study was performed as a cluster randomized controlled trial. We recruited 27 departments (clusters) from five hospitals in Denmark to participate in the study. Prior to randomization, interviews, observations and questionnaire answers (baseline questionnaire) were collected to gain knowledge of barriers and potential solutions for better use of assistive devices. In April 2016, the 27 departments were randomly allocated using a random numbers table to a participatory intervention (14 clusters, 324 healthcare workers) or a control group (13 clusters, 318 healthcare workers). The participatory intervention will consist of workshops with leaders and selected healthcare workers of each department. Workshop participants will be asked to discuss the identified barriers, develop solutions for increasing the use of assistive devices and implement them in their department. Use of assistive devices (using digital counters -, primary outcome, and accelerometers and questionnaire - secondary outcome), perceived physical exertion during patient transfer, pain intensity in the lower back, occurrence of work-related back injuries during patient transfer, organizational readiness to change, knowledge on how to perform proper patient transfer, social capital and work ability (secondary outcomes) were assessed at baseline and will also be assessed at 1 year follow-up. Process evaluation will be based on qualitative and quantitative data to assess the implementation, the change process, and the impact of context aspects.DiscussionThe study will evaluate the effect and process of a participatory intervention on improving the use of assistive devices for patient transfer among hospital healthcare workers. By using cluster-randomization, as well as process- and effect evaluation based on objective measures we will contribute to the evidence base of a promising intervention approach.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02708550). March, 2016.

Reproducibility and Bilateral Symmetry of Maximal Isokinetic Trunk Rotation Strength in Healthy and Active Male Adults

Movements with axial trunk rotation are associated with spinal disease and back pain and may lead to several bilateral adaptations of the trunk muscles, which are another risk factor for back pain. To avoid injury and pain, a targeted preventative training should be implemented to preserve symmetrical strength/forces. The effect analysis of such an intervention requires reliable strength tests to document training progress and enable a clinical assessment. This study aimed to determine the reproducibility of an isokinetic test protocol formaximal trunk rotation strength and the verification of left/right differences of the maximum strength of trunk rotation muscles and hand gripstrength. 30 healthy and active male adults (BH = 180.1 ± 5.6 cm, BM = 78.5 ± 8.9 kg, age = 26.5 ± 3.5 years) with no history of back pain were examined in a test-retest design. The participants completed an isokinetic maximum strength test on two different test days (two sets of three concentric contractions, three min set break, angle velocity = 120 °/s) with the same test leader. Reproducibility was evaluated with an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC (3.1)), standard error of measurement (SEM) and coefficient of repeatability (CR). ICC values of 0.94 - 0.98 on the left and 0.97 - 0.98 on the right were identified for torque, power and work. Mean torque, power and work showed CR coefficients of ± 5.1 Nm or ± 4.0 Nm, ± 11.0 W or ± 8.2 W and ± 9.5 J or ± 6.5 J for right or left rotation. The right-handed participants dominated the sample and had greater maximal hand grip strength, but no left/right trunk muscle asymmetry was found. The test protocol provides reliable data and can be used to characterise trunk rotation strength before and after training interventions in patients suffering from back pain or athletes engaging in sports with unilateral trunk rotation patterns.

The effects of a simple intervention on exposures to low back pain risk factors during traditional posterior load carriage

Traditional posterior load carriage (PLC), typically performed without the use of an assistive device, is associated with a high prevalence of low back pain (LBP). However, there are few studies that have evaluated potential interventions to reduce exposures to LBP risk factors. This work examined the effects of a simple, potentially low-cost intervention using an assistive device (i.e., carrying aid) on exposures to factors related to LBP risk during PLC. Torso kinematics and kinetics, slip risk, and ratings of perceived discomfort (RPD) were obtained during simulated PLC on a walkway. Consistent with earlier results, increasing load mass substantially increased torso flexion and lumbosacral flexion moment, as well as RPDs in all anatomical regions evaluated. Using the carrying aid with a higher load placement resulted in substantially lower mean lumbosacral moments when carrying the heaviest load. In contrast, using the carrying aid with a lower load placement resulted in substantially higher torso flexion angles, higher mean lumbosacral moments when carrying heavier loads, and higher peak lumbosacral moments across all load masses. With use of the carrying aid, both higher and lower load placement resulted in significantly lower RPDs in the elbows and hands compared to the control condition. In summary, use of a carrying aid with higher load placement may be beneficial in reducing the risk of LBP during PLC. Future studies are needed, though, to improve the device design and to enhance external validity.

Risk factors for back pain in marines; a prospective cohort study.

BackgroundIt is recognised that back pain (BP) is a debilitating medical problem in the soldier community, which limits operational readiness as well as work ability. As such, identification of risk factors is a necessity for effective preventive actions, but also regarded as important from a safety perspective. The aim of this prospective cohort study was therefore to identify risk factors for back pain and BP limiting work ability in active duty marines within a 6 and 12-month period.MethodsDemographic characteristics, health-related factors and occupational exposure information, as gathered from questionnaires, as well as clinical test of movement control among 137 Swedish marines were regressed with multivariable logistic regressions, and strength of associations was presented as odds ratio (OR) with 95 % confidence intervals (CI). BP within 6 and 12 months were used as primary outcomes, whereas BP limiting work ability within 6 and 12 months served as secondary outcomes.ResultsPrevious BP and tall body height (≥1.86 m) emerged as risk factors for back pain within 6 months (OR 2.99, 95 % CI 1.22–7.30; OR 2.81, 95 % CI 1.16– 6.84, respectively), and 12 months (OR 6.75, 95 % CI 2.30–19.80; 2.75, 95 % CI 1.21–6.29, respectively). Previous BP was also identified as risk factor for BP limiting work ability within 12 months (OR 6.64, 95 % CI 1.78–24.78), and tall body height emerged as a risk within both six (OR 4.30, 95 % CI 1.31–14.13) and 12 months (OR 4.55, 95 % CI 1.53–13.57) from baseline.ConclusionsMarines with a history of BP are at risk of further BP episodes, which, thus, emphasise the importance of early BP preventive actions. Tall body height also emerged as an important risk which may reflect that personal equipment and work tasks are not adapted for the tallest marines. While this should be considered when introducing new work equipment, further studies are warranted to clarify the underlying mechanism of this association.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12891-016-1172-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Back pain – analysis of risk factors and the frequency of ailment occurrences

The aim of the study was to analyze the risk factors of back pain in M.A. students. The study involved 150 physical therapy students from the University School of Physical Education (AWF) in Krakow and 100 applied information technology (IT) students from the Cracow University of Technology. The study group was determined on the basis of dean’s lists and quota sampling. The study was conducted using a proprietary questionnaire. The results showed that the level of knowledge on prevention of back pain in physical therapy students is greater than in science students. Physiotherapy students experience back pain more often than IT students. The physical activity level of physical therapy students is higher than the IT students. The type of activity may signifi cantly affect the occurrence of back pain in students. The presented results may be indicative of the significant effect of stress on the occurrence of pain among students.

Participatory intervention with objectively measured physical risk factors for musculoskeletal disorders in the construction industry: study protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial.

BackgroundThere is high prevalence of back pain and neck-shoulder pain among blue collar workers in Denmark. Excessive physical exposures such as heavy lifting or working with bended or twisted back are risk factors for back pain among workers in the construction industry. Technical evaluation of awkward postures and kinematics of upper/ lower extremities (accelerometry) during work combined with the level of muscular activity (EMG) and video recordings can improve quantification of physical exposure and thereby can facilitate designing preventive strategies. Participatory ergonomics potentially increase the success of interventions aimed at reducing excessive physical exposures. The objectives of this study are to; 1) determine which work-tasks in selected job-groups involve excessive physical load of the back and shoulders during a normal working day (measured with accelerometers, EMG and video recordings). And 2) investigate whether a participatory intervention can reduce the excessive physical workloads, drawing on measurements from phase 1.Methods/DesignA two-armed parallel-group, single-blind, cluster randomized controlled trial with allocation concealment will be conducted in the Danish construction industry. Approximately 20 construction gangs (≈80 subjects) will be recruited and randomized at the cluster level (gang). We will record in situ physical workload using technical measurements (EMG, accelerometers and video recordings) during a working day before and after the intervention. Based on these measurements a physical load matrix for each worker will be developed.The participatory intervention consist of three workshops: 1) One at baseline, involving presentation of video clips of the work-tasks with excessive physical load customized for each gang, followed by a participatory development of solutions on how to reduce excessive workloads, leading to development of an action plan on how to implement these solutions at the workplace. 2) A second workshop where the implemented solutions will be further developed and qualitatively evaluated during group discussions. 3) A final workshop at follow-up to enhance long-time organizational sustainability of the implemented solutions.DiscussionThe results will provide knowledge about the level of physical exposure of the back and shoulders during specific work tasks in the construction industry, and will provide information on options to implement participatory interventions aiming at reducing excessive physical workload.Trial registrationClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02498197), registered 29 June 2015.

Risk factor of back pain among agricultural farmers: a systematic review

Risk factor of back pain among agricultural farmers: a systematic review