The relationship between low back pain and the basic lumbar posture at work: a retrospective cross-sectional study

Exploring Musculoskeletal Complaints in a Needle Manufacturing Industry: A Cross-Sectional Study

Musculoskeletal disorders (MSD) encompass a variety of conditions affecting muscles, joints, and nerves. In Portugal, MSDs are the most prevalent occupational health problem in companies. Based on the relevance of work-related MSD (WMSD), this study aims to assess the prevalence of MSD complaints in a needle manufacturing industry in Northern Portugal, following a cross-sectional approach. Thus, 526 workers from five departments (i.e., operator, tuning, maintenance, administration, and logistics) answered a sociodemographic questionnaire and the Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire (NMQ). Within the last 12 months, females exhibited a higher frequency of complaints than males across all body parts except for ankles/feet. The body parts eliciting the most percentage of complaints for both genders include the lower back (54.2%), neck (42.2%), shoulders (39.0%), ankles/feet (38.2%), and wrists/hands (35.7%). No significant association was found between Body Mass Index (BMI) and body part complaints. Tuners reported the highest complaint rate, with occupations as substantial predictors of complaints in certain body parts. Likewise, complaints tend to increase with age. The findings advocate for ergonomic interventions that are gender-, age-, and job-sensitive.

Management and Nursing Approaches to Low Back Pain: Investigating the Causal Association with Lifestyle-Related Risk Factors

BACKGROUND

Notwithstanding a plethora of observational studies, the causal implications of obesity, encompassing both body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC), as well as type 2 diabetes (T2D), and lifestyle factors, in relation to the vulnerability to low back pain (LBP), remain enigmatic.

AIMS

This study was designed to investigate the related causal associations DESIGN: A two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.

SETTINGS

By utilizing genetic variants associated with pertinent factors gleaned from genome-wide association studies (GWASs), We extracted independent genetic variants about exposures such as BMI, WC, T2D, smoking, alcohol consumption, and coffee intake from published GWASs, ensuring their genome-wide significance.

PARTICIPANTS/SUBJECTS

The GWASs were selected from the most up-to-date and largest publicly accessible databases.

METHODS

The summary data concerning LBP emanated from a GWAS of European cases and controls, which was based on the esteemed MRC-IEU (Medical Research Council Integrative Epidemiology Unit) consortium.

RESULTS

Heightened body mass index and waist circumference exhibited odds ratios of 1.003 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.002-1.004, p < 0.001) and 1.003 (95% CI = 1.002-1.004, p < 0.001) for LBP, respectively, per each standard deviation (SD) increase. As for smoking initiation and every SD increase in the frequency of alcohol intake, the odds ratios were 1.002 (95% CI = 1.001-1.003, p = 0.003) and 1.002 (95% CI = 1.000-1.003, p = 0.011), respectively, for LBP. Conversely, an increased log odds ratio for T2D, and prevalence of coffee intake, divulged no discernible causal effects on the risk of LBP.

CONCLUSION

This study provides suggestive evidence to support the causal involvement of obesity, smoking, and the frequency of alcohol intake in the development of LBP, which suggests that implementing measures to mitigate these risk factors may aid in preventing LBP.

Body Mass Index and Its Influence on Chronic Low Back Pain in the Spanish Population: A Secondary Analysis from the European Health Survey (2020)

Risk factors such as obesity and a sedentary lifestyle contribute to the development of chronic low back pain.

PURPOSE

To describe how body mass index (BMI) influences the prevalence of chronic low back pain in the general Spanish population and assess this influence given other factors as sex, age, physical occupational demands, and recreational physical activity.

METHODS

An analytical cross-sectional design was performed based on secondary data from the European Health Survey in Spain (2020). Data on age, gender, physical occupational demands, physical activity, BMI, and presence of chronic low back pain were extracted.

RESULTS

A total of 19,716 (52.2% women) subjects with a median age of 53 years old were analyzed. Of these, 18.3% had chronic low back pain, 39% were overweight, and 16.1% were obese. The adjusted generalized linear model showed that being obese increased the odds of chronic low back pain by 1.719 times (p < 0.001). Being a woman increased the odds by 1.683 times (p < 0.001). Performing occupational tasks requiring high physical demands increased the odds by 1.403 times (p < 0.001). Performing physical activity in leisure time several times a week decreased the odds by 0.598 times (p < 0.001). For every additional year of age, the odds of chronic low back pain increased by 3.3% (p < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity is related with the presence of chronic low back pain in the general Spanish population. This association persists, being the more relevant factor, after adjusting the association of BMI and chronic low back pain with other factors such as sex, age, physical occupational demands, and recreational physical activity.