0000000000544610
AUTHOR
Hilkka Riihimäki
Low back pain, work absenteeism, chronic back disorders, and clinical findings in the low back as predictors of hospitalization due to low back disorders: a 28-year follow-up of industrial employees.
Study Design. Prospective cohort study. Objective. To study symptoms, chronic disorders, and clinical findings in the low back, and work absenteeism, as predictors of hospitalization. Summary of Background Data. Socioeconomic and lifestyle factors are associated with back-related hospitalization, but the significance in the working normal population of low back symptoms and clinical findings are not known. Methods. The cohort (n = 902) was drawn in 1973 from among employees in the metal industry (n = 2,653). The data were collected by questionnaire and a structured clinical assessment by a physiotherapist. Weight was measured. A sum score of local and radiating low back symptoms (frequency …
Neck trouble in machine operating, dynamic physical work and sedentary work: a prospective study on occupational and individual risk factors.
A prospective study on the effects of occupational and individual factors on neck trouble was carried out among 1832 men representing static work with whole-body vibration (machine operators), dynamic physical work (construction carpenters) and sedentary work (office workers). Neck trouble and occupational and individual factors were inquired about via postal questionnaires in 1984 and 1987. Machine operating was associated with an increased risk to contract severe neck trouble, and machine operating and dynamic physical work were associated with persistently severe neck trouble. Other predictors for contracting severe neck trouble were age and current smoking. Physical exercise decreased t…
Persistence of low back pain reporting among a cohort of employees in a metal corporation: A study with 5-, 10-, and 28-year follow-ups
Low back pain (LBP) is a common symptom among adults but little is known about its persistence over time in defined populations. The aim of this study was to examine the persistence of LBP among a cohort of industrial employees studied in four successive surveys during a total of 28 years. Cross-tabulations and logistic regression was used to estimate the interdependence of LBP occurrence at the surveys. At baseline, 54% of the subjects reported local LBP and 25% LBP radiating to the lower limb(s). Persistent or recurrent LBP was common. Of those with LBP at baseline, 75, 73, and 88% reported it also at the 5-, 10- or 28-year follow-up, respectively. Of those with radiating pain, 66, 65, an…