A follow up study on preventive measures against occupational low back pain

In order to evaluate the preventive effects of preventive measures against low back pain (LBP) at a worksite which were carried out on the basis of a 10-year-ago study, a follow up study of the same workplace was conducted using the same study method. The preventive measures included improvement of working environment, exercises at work breaks, medical advice to the workers with severe LBP and decreasing overtime work brought by change in the economic situations at enterprises. Results were as follows : (1) Point, period (a month) prevalence rates and prevalence rate of severe LBP and absence days due to LBP (deducted absence days in a year) were all significantly lower than those of 10 years ago. (2) Onset of LBP among young workers were mainly chronic, which is closely related to heavy lifting and constrained working postures such as bending and squatting etc. (3) Absence from work due to LBP was related to work years, severity of LBP and level of job satisfaction.

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