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Personal risk factors for first-time low back pain
M A Adams1, A F Mannion, P Dolan
1Department of Anatomy, University of Bristol, United Kingdom. M.A.Adams@bris.ac.uk
Spine
|January 8, 2000
Summary
Personal risk factors like psychological distress and physical traits predict first-time low back pain. These factors explained up to 12% of new cases in a study of health care workers.
Area of Science:
- Occupational health
- Musculoskeletal disorders
- Epidemiology
Background:
- Previous research suggests physical and psychological factors increase low back pain risk.
- Conflicting results may stem from inaccurate clinical measures and poorly validated statistical models.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a multivariate model for predicting low back pain.
- To identify personal risk factors associated with first-time low back pain.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study involving 403 health care workers (aged 18-40) with no prior serious back pain.
- Data collection included questionnaires (somatic perception, depression, locus of control), anthropometric measurements, and functional assessments (lumbar mobility, strength, fatiguability).
- Multivariate logistic regression analyzed risk factors over a 36-month follow-up period.
Main Results:
- Consistent predictors of serious low back pain included reduced lumbar lateral bending, longer torso, reduced lumbar lordosis, psychological distress, and prior non-serious back pain.
- Reduced lumbar lordosis, psychological distress, and prior non-serious back pain predicted any low back pain.
- Physical factors were more influential in new employees.
Conclusions:
- Personal risk factors account for a significant portion (up to 12%) of first-time low back pain.
- The study highlights the importance of both physical and psychological factors in low back pain etiology.