Evaluation of a Randomized Controlled Trial in the Management of Chronic Lower Back Pain in a French Automotive Industry: An Observational Study

Abstract

Nassif and colleagues note the importance of physical activity in the treatment of low back pain (LBP) and, therefore, conducted a randomized controlled trial to assess the effects of a workplace physical activity and exercise intervention. Seventy-five French automotive assembly workers with LBP were randomized into 2 groups. Half took part in a 3 times/week, 2-month supervised strengthening and endurance program while the remainder continued with their usual activities. Evaluation at the end of training and follow-up 4 months later revealed significant decreases in perceived pain, work disability, and fear of reinjury as well as improvements in back function and maintenance of increased activity in favor of the intervention group. The authors suggest that their findings support the benefits of physical therapy workplace interventions for those with LBP. Muscle Changes Following Cycling and/or Electrical Stimulation in Pediatric Spinal Cord Injury Electrical stimulation (ES) is a mainstay in our efforts to counteract the muscle atrophy and deconditioning that accompany spinal cord injury (SCI). Johnston and colleagues addressed the nature of its application in a randomized trial involving 30 children with SCI. Subjects were randomized into 3 groups; one-third received functional electrical stimulation enhanced cycling (FESC), one-third ES alone and the remainder passive cycling during a 3 times/week, 6-month home program. Evaluation at the completion of training revealed changes in both ES groups with the ES-alone group exhibiting the largest increase in quadriceps volume and the FESC group the largest increase in quadriceps strength. The authors conclude that both ES approaches are capable of producing presumably beneficial changes in muscle strength or mass.

A Cross-Sectional Epidemiological Survey of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders and Analysis of Its Influencing Factors among Coal Mine Workers in Xinjiang

“…As previously reported [28,29], the prevalence of MSDs for gas station employees is 51.2% and that for nursing staff is 78.58%. The top three positions in terms of the prevalence of MSDs for nursing staff [29], automobile manufactory workers [30], oil extraction workers [31], and power plant workers [32] are the waist, neck, and shoulder, which is consistent with the results obtained in this study. The waist is an important region for normal movement of the human body.…”

Resistance Exercise, Disability, and Pain Catastrophizing in Obese Adults with Back Pain

“…(23) Workplace interventions for back pain two months in duration to that include strength training can reduce TSK scores by ~10% with reductions in NRS pain score by ~39%. (24) Other comparative intervention studies of physiotherapy, aerobic activity and muscle reconditioning with isoinertial loading have shown that while all groups demonstrated a reduction in NRS pain scores, RMDQ scores were improved most in the aerobics and isoinertial loading groups (16–18% improvement). (20) Our ~4–11 point improvements in the TSK in obese older adults, RMDQ and ODI are within the ranges of those presented in previous studies.…”

Prevalence and its risk factors for low back pain among operation and maintenance personnel in wind farms

“…There have been a large number of available data on the prevalence of the LBP in traditional industries, such as manufacturing [ 12 ], automotive industry [ 13 ], health care industry [ 14 ], and steel industry [ 15 ], while there is little information about these issues in the wind power industry. This study revealed the prevalence of LBP on the OMPWF was up to 88.74 % in the past 12 months.…”