Low back pain, intervertebral disc and occupational diseases.

Area of Science:

• Occupational health
• Epidemiology
• Biomechanics
• Musculoskeletal disorders

Background:

• Nonspecific low back pain and sciatica are prevalent among working adults, impacting employment continuity.
• Epidemiological studies indicate higher prevalence in specific industrial sectors with occupational risk factors.
• These disorders are linked to cumulative lumbar load, including manual handling, awkward postures, and whole-body vibrations.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the relationship between occupational biomechanical exposures and low back disorders.
• To address the need for prevention and compensation strategies for affected workers.
• To examine the recognition of low back pain and disc disease as occupational diseases.

Main Methods:

• Review of epidemiological studies based on workers' healthcare consumption.
• Analysis of morphological and biomechanical studies comparing disc space narrowing and lumbar workload.
• Examination of international criteria for recognizing low back disorders as occupational diseases.

Main Results:

• Higher prevalence of low back disorders observed in workers exposed to cumulative lumbar load.
• A generally accepted, though debated, relationship exists between disc degeneration and biomechanical work exposures.
• Recognition of low back pain and disc disease as occupational diseases is inconsistent across countries.

Conclusions:

• Occupational factors significantly contribute to the prevalence of low back pain and sciatica in the workforce.
• Standardized criteria for recognizing these conditions as occupational diseases are needed for effective prevention and compensation.
• Further research into biomechanical factors and their impact on spinal health is warranted.