The Impact of Psychosocial Factors on Low Back Pain

Abstract Background and purpose: Professional drivers as a group are exposed to high risk of developing low back pain due to ergonomic factors and work conditions. The purpose of the study was to examine to what extent the low back pain occurs among Slovene professional drivers as a result of the development of various psychosocial factors. Methodology: The study involved 275 respondents (professional bus drivers, car/van drivers, international truck/lorry drivers, and ambulance car drivers). Hypotheses were tested using multivariate statistical method (regression analysis) and analysis of variance. Data were collected by structured questionnaire comprised of three parts: socio-demographic data, basic psychosocial factors causing low back pain, and incidence, duration and severity of low back pain as a result of psychosocial risk factors, was implemented. Results: The results of quantitative survey suggest that low back pain is mostly caused by lifting and carrying heavy loads, inadequate working conditions, poor physical fitness, regular nights out, shift work, and stress. Only the impact of gender on low back pain distress among professional drivers was confirmed, predominantly among bus drivers and lorry drivers on international routes. Low back pain occurrence was less common, albeit not statistically significant, among professional drivers of vans and passenger cars. Conclusion: Our study suggests that psychosocial factors are also important cause for the development of low back pain among professional drivers and can limit the quality of their social and professional lives.

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Characterizing and Understanding the Low Back Pain Experience Among Persons with Lower Limb Loss

Pain Medicine ◽

10.1093/pm/pnz293 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 21 (5) ◽

pp. 1068-1077

Author(s):

Courtney M Butowicz ◽

Sheri P Silfies ◽

Jennifer Vendemia ◽

Shawn Farrokhi ◽

Brad D Hendershot

Keyword(s):

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Psychosocial Factors ◽

Chronic Low Back Pain ◽

Lower Limb ◽

Employment Status ◽

Functional Disability ◽

Limb Loss ◽

Low Back ◽

The Impact

Abstract Objective This study preliminarily characterizes and compares the impact of lower limb loss and development of chronic low back pain (cLBP) on psychosocial factors, as well as the relationship between these factors and low back pain–related functional disability. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods Participants were adults, active duty or retired military, with traumatic lower limb loss with and without chronic low back pain. Psychosocial factors and low back pain–related functional disability were measured using common clinical self-report questionnaires. The presence of psychosocial factors was compared between those with and without cLBP using multivariate analysis of covariance (P < 0.05), and correlations determined relationships between psychosocial factors and cLBP-related functional disability. Results There were no statistically significant differences among psychosocial factors between those with vs without cLBP (F(4, 13) = 0.81, P = 0.54, η2= 0.19). Employment status (ρ = 0.43, P = 0.02), anxiety (ρ = 0.45, P = 0.04), and kinesiophobia (ρ = 0.47, P = 0.04) were moderately associated with low back pain–related disability. Conclusions Psychological (i.e., anxiety) and social (i.e., employment status) factors may influence how persons with traumatic lower limb loss respond to self-reported measures of low back pain–related disability. The findings suggest that the Modified Oswestry Disability Index identifies cLBP-related functional disability in the context of lower limb loss. These results support the interdependence among biological, psychological, and social factors, which should be collectively considered during the development of rehabilitative strategies to treat secondary musculoskeletal conditions within this population.

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