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Meta-Analysis
. 2021 Nov 30;18(23):12614.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph182312614.

The Effects of Workplace Interventions on Low Back Pain in Workers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Fabrizio Russo  1 , Giuseppe Francesco Papalia  1 , Gianluca Vadalà  1 , Luca Fontana  2 , Sergio Iavicoli  3 , Rocco Papalia  1 , Vincenzo Denaro  1
Affiliations
Meta-Analysis

The Effects of Workplace Interventions on Low Back Pain in Workers: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Fabrizio Russo et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to analyze the effects of workplace interventions (WI) on clinical outcomes related to low back pain (LBP) in a worker population, and to assess socio-economic parameters as participants on sick leave, days of sick leave, and return to work following WI. A systematic literature search was performed to select randomized clinical trials that investigated the effectiveness of WI on return to work, sick leave, and working capacity of workers affected by nonspecific LBP. Fourteen articles were included in the review and meta-analysis. The meta-analysis showed improvements in pain (p = 0.004), disability (p = 0.0008), fear-avoidance for psychical activity (p = 0.004), and quality of life (p = 0.001 for physical scale and p = 0.03 for mental scale) for patients who underwent WI compared to controls. Moreover, the pain reduction following WI was statistically significant in the healthcare workers' group (p = 0.005), but not in the other workers' group. The participants on sick leave and the number of days of sick leave decreased in the WI group without statistical significance (p = 0.85 and p = 0.10, respectively). Finally, LBP recurrence was significantly reduced in the WI group (p = 0.006). WI led to a significant improvement of clinical outcomes in a workers' population affected by LBP.

Keywords: low back pain; meta-analysis; systematic review; work ability; workers; workplace interventions.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) flow diagram.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Outcome measurements.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Outcome measurements.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Participants on sick leave.
Figure 4
Figure 4
Days of sick leave.
Figure 5
Figure 5
Return to work.
Figure 6
Figure 6
Low back pain recurrence.
Figure 7
Figure 7
Subgroup analysis for low back pain.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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