Associations Between Type-Specific Sedentary Behaviour and Low Back Pain: Evidence From a Large-Scale Cohort Study

This study aimed to investigate the association between different types of sedentary behaviour and the risk of low back pain (LBP) and LBP intensity.

Data were obtained from a large-scale cohort survey of Koreans comprising 2742 participants. Sedentary behaviours-namely, TV viewing (TV-ST), squatting (Squat-ST), and floor (Floor-ST) sitting-were categorised into three groups (< 2 h, 2-4 h, and ≥ 4 h). LBP was evaluated using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and a visual analogue scale (VAS). Multiple logistic regression analyses were performed to calculate odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), and multiple linear regression analyses were used to estimate β coefficients with 95% CI.

For TV-ST, after adjusting for all confounding variables, participants watching TV for 2-4 h and ≥ 4 h exhibited LBP risk ORs of 1.23 (OR = 1.23, 95% CI = 1.01-1.50) and 1.44 (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.14-1.82), respectively, compared with those watching TV for less than 2 h. Similar results were observed for Squat-ST, with an OR of 1.83 (95% CI: 1.33-2.56) for 2-4 h and an OR of 4.14 (95% CI: 1.96-8.72) for ≥ 4 h. Furthermore, distinct associations were observed between sedentary behaviour types and LBP severity as measured by VAS and ODI scores.

These findings highlight the critical role of specific sedentary behaviours in the development and severity of LBP, underscoring the need for targeted interventions in its prevention and management.