Low Back Pain as a Predictor of Sickness Absence due to Low Back Disorders

2000 ◽  
Vol 44 (30) ◽  
pp. 5-581-5-583
Author(s):  
Marketta Häkkänen ◽  
Eira Viikari-Juntura ◽  
Rami Martikainen
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Sick Leave ◽  
Sickness Absence ◽  
Musculoskeletal Symptoms ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Linear Modeling ◽  
Back Disorders ◽  
Low Back Disorders ◽  
Potential Risk Factors

The objective of the study was to investigate two types of self-reported low back pain, sciatic and local, as predictors of sickness absence due to low back disorders. The study population comprised 4265 workers in a large forestry company. The workers filled out a self-administrative questionnaire on musculoskeletal symptoms and potential risk factors. Sickness absence was followed for subsequent 12 months via medical records. Log-linear modeling was used to investigate the associations between the predictors and the number of days lost due to low back disorders. Sciatic and local low back pain were predictors of future sick leaves. Furthermore, their effects on sick leave were different, sciatic pain increasing the risk of sick leave remarkably. Other predictors were self assessed ability to work during the coming five years, job category, average hours per day of transportation work, and average hours per day of working kneeling or squatted. Our results suggest that it is beneficial to differentiate between sciatic and local low back symptoms in health examinations of workers as well as in etiologic studies on low back disorders.

Recurrence of Occupational Low Back Disorders: The Influence of the Definition of Recurrence

2005 ◽  
Vol 49 (14) ◽  
pp. 1283-1286
Author(s):  
Sue A. Ferguson ◽  
William S. Marras ◽  
Deborah L. Burr
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Medical Attention ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Back Disorders ◽  
Low Back Disorders ◽  
Back Disorder ◽  
Lost Time ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
Pain Symptoms

Recurrent low back disorder rates vary from as low as 1% to as high as 82%. The sample population as well as definition of recurrence influence the rate of recurrence found in the literature. The objective of this study was to examine four definitions of recurrent low back disorders on the same population. Two hundred and six workers with manual material handling jobs who had reported work-related low back pain were monitored prospectively for recurrent low back disorders for 1-year. Recurrence of low back disorder was defined as 1) low back pain symptoms, 2) a visit to a medical provider (company or personal) for low back pain, 3) self-reported time off work due to low back pain, and 4) confirmed (by employer) lost time due to back pain. The recurrence rates were 58% for pain symptoms, 36% for seeking medical attention, 15% for lost time and 10% for confirmed lost time.

scholarly journals Understanding Causal Pathways for Occupationally Related Low Back Disorders

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 955-956
Author(s):  
Sue A. Ferguson ◽  
William S. Marras ◽  
Jay M. Kapellusch ◽  
Matthew S. Thiese ◽  
Kermit G. Davis ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Risk Factors ◽  
Health Care ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Back Disorders ◽  
Personal Risk ◽  
Low Back Disorders ◽  
Back Disorder

Extended Abstract Low back pain has been a leading cause of disability worldwide for nearly two decades (Hartvigsen et al 2018). In a study of US health care spending between 1996 through 2013, low back and neck pain was the health care condition with the highest increase in spending (Dieleman et. al. 2016). Continued increases in health care costs due to low back pain are not sustainable. Therefore, we need to develop better low back disorder prevention plans or tools. In order to prevent occupational low back disorders several tools (ie. NIOSH lifting guide, 3DSSPP, Snook Tables, Lumbar Motion Monitor risk model, REBA, LiFFT) have been developed to quantify the biomechanical or physical exposure risk. There are a multitude of risk factors for low back disorders including psychological, psychosocial, and personal factors none of which are included in the available ergonomics tools (Ferguson and Marras, 1997). The goal of this panel is to promote discussion of the biopsychosocial risk factors that lead to low back disorders and disability. Health care providers suggest that patient advocacy should include preventing prolonged work loss (Nguyen and Randolph, 2007) yet one of the most common personal risk factors of low back pain is previous history of low back pain. The prevention tools above do not include any personal risk factors regarding an individual’s low back health status or any other personal risk factor. Should a new low back injury prevention tool include some personal risk factors for previous low back injury or some other personal risk factor? What about a smoking status risk factor or since sitting is the new smoking what about a sitting risk factor? What about psychosocial factors such as supervisor support or co-worker support? What new tools might we need? What stakeholders to do we need or want at the table in order to develop a tool that will actually be effective and who will the users be? The National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health funded several field studies in the 2000s to examine biomechanical exposure as risk factors of low back disorders. Several of the panelists had studies in the group. A consortium was formed to pool data where possible to increase statistical power to measure these more complex relationships. The common surveillance questionnaire measures of low back disorder included varying degrees of low back disorder severity. The surveillance measures in order from least severe to most severe were 1) any low back pain, 2) seeking medical care due to low back pain and 3) self-reported lost time due to low back pain in the past year. The panelists will be asked to address how the role of their specific topic may change as a function of the various surveillance measures. What does a new tool being developed really need to prevent (low back pain, seeking medical care, self-reported lost time, low back disability)? We will have each panel member discuss causality from several different multidimensional perspectives and will have an open debate/discussion. We will also allow time for audience perspectives Panelist Roles Dr. Jay Kapellusch will be discussing the role of psychophysics and the NIOSH lifting equation. Dr. Matthew S. Thiese will be examining the role of psychosocial risk factors. Dr. Kermit Davis will address interventions. Dr. Sean Gallagher will be probing specific physical injury mechanisms. Dr. William S. Marras will be presenting the multidimensional causal pathway for low back disorders.

Low Back Pain, Work Absenteeism, Chronic Back Disorders, and Clinical Findings in the Low Back as Predictors of Hospitalization due to Low Back Disorders

Spine ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 30 (10) ◽  
pp. 1211-1218 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sanna Kääriä ◽  
Leena Kaila-Kangas ◽  
Juhani Kirjonen ◽  
Hilkka Riihimäki ◽  
Ritva Luukkonen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Clinical Findings ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Work Absenteeism ◽  
Back Disorders ◽  
Low Back Disorders

Avaliação de Medos, Crenças e Comportamentos de Evitação em Policiais Militares de Minas Gerais Portadores de Dor Lombar Crônica/Fear-Avoidance Assessment in Minas Gerais Military Police Agents With Low Back Pain

1970 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 18-26
Author(s):  
Marcelo von Sperling de Souza ◽  
Maximiliano Ferreira Torres de Carvalho ◽  
Anna Florence Alves Paulino Souza ◽  
Flávia Corrêa Assumpção
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Sick Leave ◽  
Minas Gerais ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Fear Avoidance ◽  
Invasive Procedures ◽  
Military Police ◽  
Fear Avoidance Beliefs ◽  
Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire

RESUMO Objetivo: descrever os índices de medos, crenças e evitação em policiais militares portadores de dor lombar crônica, acompanhados pelo Grupo de Coluna Vertebral do Hospital da Polícia Militar de Minas Gerais (PMMG). Materiais e métodos: durante um período de três anos, estas variáveis foram medidas pelo Fear-avoidance beliefs questionnaire (FABQ) versão português-brasileira, preenchido por autorrelato. As demais variáveis utilizadas para classificação da amostra em subgrupos e comparação destes quanto aos seus escores no FABQ foram idade, sexo, histórico de procedimento invasivo de coluna, presença de radiculopatia e encaminhamento pela Junta Central de Saúde (JCS), órgão oficial de perícias médicas na PMMG. Resultados: 248 militares preencheram o questionário satisfatoriamente e foram incluídos no estudo. A média de pontuação do FABQ-Work foi de 23,18 ± 10,79, enquanto a média de pontuação do FABQ-Phys foi de 18,10 ± 6,09. Não foram encontradas diferenças significativas nos escores dos subgrupos divididos por sexo, histórico de procedimento invasivo ou presença de radiculopatia. Indivíduos com idade superior a 40 anos apresentaram maiores índices de medo e evitação para atividades físicas (FABQ-Phys). Indivíduos que se encontravam em afastamento prolongado do trabalho (encaminhados pela JCS) apresentaram maior medo e evitação tanto para atividades físicas quanto atividades de trabalho. Conclusão: estes resultados permitiram identificar características dos policias militares em risco de incapacidade prolongada, ressaltando a necessidade de medidas educativas focadas na correção de crenças errôneas sobre dor lombar crônica para um melhor prognóstico na sua reabilitação.Palavras-chave: Dor lombar, Polícia, Medo, Questionários ABSTRACTObjectives: the purpose of this study was to describe fear-avoidance levels in military police agents with chronic low back pain followed by the Spine Group of the Military Police Hospital. Materials and Methods: The Brazilian Portuguese version of the Fear-avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ) was applied during a three-year period. Secondary variables (age, sex, history of spinal invasive procedures, presence of radiculopathy, referral from medical experts due to prolonged sick-leave) were used for subgroup analysis and FABQ mean scores comparison. Results: 248 patients filled out FABQ correctly and were included in the study. FABQ-work and FABQ-Phys means were 23.18±10.79 and 18.10±6.09, respectively. There were no differences in FABQ scores between subgroups divided by sex, invasive procedures or radiculopathy. Age subgroup comparisons revealed that older individuals (> 40-years old) showed higher FABQ-Phys scores. Individuals with prolonged sick-leave showed higher scores at both FABQ-Phys and FABQ-Work subscales. Conclusion: Our results allowed identification of variables possibly related to long-time disability in military police agents and put emphasis on the need of educational interventions in which fear-avoidance beliefs are addressed in order to improve their rehabilitation prognosis.Keywords: Low back pain, Police, Fear, Questionnaires.

The Effects of a Digital Health Program Using Chatbot Through a Mobile Messaging App on Musculoskeletal Problems: Randomized Controlled Trial of the Self-Management Program in Workers with Neck/Shoulder Pain/Stiffness and Low Back Pain (Preprint)

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tomomi Anan ◽  
Shigeyuki Kajiki ◽  
Hiroyuki Oka ◽  
Tomoko Fujii ◽  
Kayo Kawamata ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Shoulder Pain ◽  
Health Program ◽  
Digital Health ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Musculoskeletal Symptoms ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Musculoskeletal Problems

BACKGROUND Musculoskeletal symptoms, such as neck and shoulder pain and stiffness and low back pain, are common health problems in the working population. They are the leading causes of presenteeism (employees being physically present at work but unable to be fully engaged). However, current medical systems do not spare sufficient resources for non-specific musculoskeletal problems. OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the improvements in musculoskeletal symptoms after use of an exercise-based artificial intelligence (AI)-assisted interactive health promotion system that operates through a mobile messaging app (the AI-assisted health program). METHODS We conducted a two-armed, randomized, controlled, and unblinded trial in workers with neck/shoulder stiffness and/or low back pain. We recruited participants with these symptoms through email notifications. We obtained 48 participants in the intervention group and 46 in the control group. The intervention group received the AI-assisted health program, in which the chatbot sent messages to users with the exercise instructions at a fixed time every day through the smart phone’s chatting app (LINE) for 12 weeks. The exercises could be performed within 1 minute. The control group continued with their usual care routines, which included exercising for 3 minutes at recess time provided by the company to prevent stiff shoulders and back pain. We assessed the subjective severities of the neck and shoulder pain/stiffness and low back pain in participants using a scoring scale of 1 to 5 for both the intervention and the control group at baseline and after 12 weeks of intervention using an online form. RESULTS We analyzed 47 patients in the intervention group and 40 in the control group. The participants in the intervention group showed significant improvements in the severities of the neck/shoulder pain/stiffness and low back pain compared to those in the control group (OR 12.74, P <.001). Based on the subjective assessment of the improvement of the pain/stiffness at 12 weeks, 36 (77%) participants in the intervention group and 3 (8%) in the control group had improved (improved, slightly improved) (OR 54.23, P <.001). CONCLUSIONS This study showed that the short exercises provided by the AI-assisted health program improved both neck/shoulder pain/stiffness and low back pain in 12 weeks. Digital health programs are low cost and safe and can save experts’ working hours and labor costs. Further studies are needed to identify the elements of the AI-assisted health program that worked. CLINICALTRIAL University hospital Medical Information Network-Clinical Trials Registry (UMIN-CTR) 000033894; https://upload.umin.ac.jp/cgi-open-bin/ctr_e/ctr_view.cgi?recptno=R000038307.

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