Effect of a multidisciplinary program for the prevention of low back pain in hospital employees: a randomized
Nathalie A Roussel1,2,3, Daphne Kos2,4, Isaline Demeure1
1Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy (REVAKI), Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Antwerp, Belgium.
Background:
Hospital workers with physically demanding jobs are at risk for developing recurrent LBP. There is a lack of studies evaluating multidisciplinary prevention of low back pain (LBP) in hospital workers.
Objective:
This randomized controlled trial evaluates the effect of a multidisciplinary prevention program, focusing on a client-centred approach, on hospital workers at risk for developing LBP.
Methods:
Caregiving hospital workers were allocated to an experimental (12-week lasting multidisciplinary prevention program) or control group (no intervention). They were evaluated prior to the intervention and after a 6 months follow-up period. Primary outcome measures included incidence of LBP, work absenteeism and general health. Secondary outcomes included daily physical activity, job satisfaction and coping strategies.
Results:
A significant improvement was seen for passive coping after 6 months follow-up, but no significant differences were observed between groups in primary or other secondary outcome measures (p> 0.05).
Conclusions:
A multidisciplinary prevention program fitting into a bio-psychosocial context may not have been intensive enough to promote a change in daily habitudes, and had no effect on work absenteeism, incidence of LBP or general health. Further research should determine whether prevention of LBP is possible in caregiving personnel.
