Musculoskeletal fitness and health-related quality of life characteristics among sedentary office workers affected by sub-acute, non-specific low back pain: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Objectives: To establish the level of musculoskeletal fitness and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in sedentary office workers with sub-acute, non-specific low back pain, and compare the results with reference data for healthy sedentary office workers.

Design: Cross-sectional study.

Setting: Occupational secondary prevention setting.

Participants: One-hundred and ninety sedentary office workers: 118 suffering from sub-acute, non-specific low back pain (47 men and 71 women) and 72 age-matched healthy controls (30 men and 42 women).

Main outcome measures: Participants were assessed using a musculoskeletal fitness battery (sit-and-reach test, hand grip strength, lumbar and abdominal trunk muscle endurance, and back scratch test), the EuroQol-5D-3L, Oswestry Disability Questionnaire, and Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire. Data for both genders and conditions were compared.

Results: Subjects with low back pain achieved lower scores in most of the fitness tests compared with healthy, age-matched controls. Trunk flexor and extensor endurance demonstrated the greatest difference in both men {flexion: median difference 59 [95% confidence interval (CI) 26 to 90]seconds; extension: median difference 24 [95% CI 20 to 68]} and women [flexion: median difference 59 (95% CI 5 to 85.50)seconds; extension: median difference 41 (95% CI 30 to 55)seconds]. Differences in HRQoL were also demonstrated between groups for both men and women, with the exception of the pain/discomfort dimension in women.

Conclusions: Sedentary office workers with sub-acute, non-specific low back pain had lower musculoskeletal fitness than healthy, age-matched controls, with the main difference found in endurance of the trunk muscles. HRQoL was also lower in workers with low back pain.

Keywords: Health promotion; Low back pain; Occupational health; Physical fitness.