Low-back pain among electric power supply workers and their attitude toward its prevention and the treatment

Low-back pain among electric power supply workers and their opinions about the ways to prevent and relieve the disorder were investigated. A questionnaire study revealed that 38.7% of 6,272 electric power supply workers were suffering from low-back pain, including severe pain resulting in frequent absenteeism or requiring occasional rest from work. Chronological analysis of the occurrence of the disorder revealed that the incidence of gradually developing pain has increased and that improper working posture and overwork have become more important as etiological factors. Rest from work was found to be the most effective way of relieving pain, while any medical treatment which did not include rest was useless. Low-back pain among these workers is believed to have resulted from rapid and intensified work as required by increasing demand and mechanization, greater mental stress and improper working posture. As preventive measures, it is necessary to improve working hours and to lighten the rate of work. In order to relieve pain, the employers should permit the workers to absent themselves from work quickly following an attack. Discrepancy between workers' opinions and both actual causation of low-back pain and actual effectiveness of medical treatment is discussed.