Is low back pain related to the body composition, flexibility, and postural deviations in rural workers?

Marcelo Henrique Glänzel ^1,2,3, Guilherme Görgen da Rocha ¹, Analie Nunes Couto ^1,4

⁰Departamento de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de Santa Cruz do Sul, Santa Cruz do Sul, RS, Brazil.

Revista Brasileira De Medicina Do Trabalho : Publicacao Oficial Da Associacao Nacional De Medicina Do Trabalho-Anamt +

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August 21, 2024

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

Rural workers experiencing low back pain often have higher obesity rates and postural deviations. Adipose tissue is linked to increased risk, while muscle tissue may be protective.

Area Of Science

Occupational Health
Musculoskeletal Disorders
Biomechanics

Background

Rural work involves physical exertion, increasing the risk of pain conditions and musculoskeletal disorders.
Low back pain is a common cause of inactivity, with obesity potentially contributing through mechanical load.
Abdominal fat accumulation can exacerbate low back pain by increasing mechanical demands.

Purpose Of The Study

To investigate the relationship between low back pain and body composition, flexibility, and posture in rural workers.
To identify factors associated with low back pain prevalence in an agricultural workforce.

Main Methods

A cohort of 55 rural workers was divided into groups based on the presence or absence of low back pain.
Evaluations included body composition, flexibility, and postural assessments for all participants.
Principal component analysis was employed to explore associations between variables and low back pain.

Main Results

Workers with low back pain exhibited higher rates of obesity compared to asymptomatic individuals.
A majority of participants with low back pain also presented with postural deviations.
Principal component analysis indicated that muscle tissue was associated with the absence of symptoms, while adipose tissue was linked to low back pain.

Conclusions

Low back pain in rural workers is associated with specific body composition metrics and postural deviations.
Musculoskeletal tissue appears to be a protective factor, whereas adipose tissue acts as a risk factor for low back pain in this population.

Keywords:

back pain body composition occupational health posture rural health