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Occupational hazards and low back pain.

J A Anderson¹, E O Otun, B J Sweetman

¹Department of Community Medicine, United Medical School, Guy's Campus, London.

Reviews on Environmental Health

|January 1, 1987

Summary

Occupational back pain affects 20% of male workers, with disc disease prevalent in heavy labor. Annual incidence of low back pain is 1% per year, highlighting the need for workplace interventions.

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Area of Science:

Occupational Health
Epidemiology
Biomechanics

Background:

Back pain is a significant occupational health issue, affecting workers across various industries.
Prevalence rates and incidence of back pain, including specific conditions like disc disease, require thorough investigation in working populations.
Understanding the relationship between work activities, postures, and back pain is crucial for prevention strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

To determine the prevalence and incidence of back pain, including disc disease, in a male working population.
To investigate the association between occupational factors (heavy work, stooping posture) and the prevalence of disc disease.
To introduce a novel device for monitoring biomechanical factors related to back pain in the workplace.

Main Methods:

A cross-sectional study of 2684 males from diverse occupations to assess back pain prevalence.
A two-year follow-up study of 1249 workers to determine the incidence rate of low back pain.
Analysis of sickness absence data and general practitioner diagnoses to quantify back pain-related absenteeism.
Description of a device measuring lumbar EMG, spinal posture, and intra-abdominal pressure during work shifts.

Main Results:

The prevalence of back pain was 20%, with 11% attributed to disc disease.
Low back pain incidence was approximately 1% per annum in the follow-up cohort.
Annual absence due to back pain was 1323 days per thousand employees, rising to 1707 days with non-specific rheumatic diagnoses.
Disc disease prevalence was higher in heavy work and stooping postures.

Conclusions:

Back pain, particularly disc disease, is a considerable occupational health concern, especially in physically demanding jobs.
Work-related factors like heavy lifting and prolonged stooping significantly contribute to the prevalence of disc disease.
The developed monitoring device offers a promising tool for assessing workplace biomechanics and informing ergonomic interventions to reduce back pain.

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