Potential Risk Factors of Persistent Low Back Pain Developing from Mild Low Back Pain in Urban Japanese Workers

Overview

Journal PLoS One

Specialties General Medicine
Science

Date 2014 Apr 10

PMID 24714616

Citations 20

Authors

Ko Matsudaira

Hiroaki Konishi

Kota Miyoshi

Tatsuya Isomura

Kyoko Inuzuka

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Study Design: Two-year, prospective cohort data from the Japan epidemiological research of occupation-related back pain study in urban settings were used for this analysis.

Objective: To examine the association between aggravated low back pain and psychosocial factors among Japanese workers with mild low back pain.

Summary Of Background Data: Although psychosocial factors are strongly indicated as yellow flags of low back pain (LBP) leading to disability, the association between aggravated LBP and psychosocial factors has not been well assessed in Japanese workers.

Methods: At baseline, 5,310 participants responded to a self-administered questionnaire including questions about individual characteristics, ergonomic work demands, and work-related psychosocial factors (response rate: 86.5%), with 3,811 respondents completing the 1-year follow-up questionnaire. The target outcome was aggravation of mild LBP into persistent LBP during the follow-up period. Incidence was calculated for the participants with mild LBP during the past year at baseline. Logistic regression was used to explore risk factors associated with persistent LBP.

Results: Of 1,675 participants who had mild LBP during the preceding year, 43 (2.6%) developed persistent LBP during the follow-up year. Multivariate analyses adjusted for individual factors and an ergonomic factor found statistically significant or almost significant associations of the following psychosocial factors with persistent LBP: interpersonal stress at work [adjusted odds ratio (OR): 1.96 and 95% confidence interval (95%CI): 1.00-3.82], job satisfaction (OR: 2.34, 95%CI: 1.21-4.54), depression (OR: 1.92, 95%CI: 1.00-3.69), somatic symptoms (OR: 2.78, 95%CI: 1.44-5.40), support from supervisors (OR: 2.01, 95%CI: 1.05-3.85), previous sick-leave due to LBP (OR: 1.94, 95%CI: 0.98-3.86) and family history of LBP with disability (OR: 1.98, 95%CI: 1.04-3.78).

Conclusions: Psychosocial factors are important risk factors for persistent LBP in urban Japanese workers. It may be necessary to take psychosocial factors into account, along with physical work demands, to reduce LBP related disability.

Citing Articles

Risk Factors for Chronic Lower Back Pain among Older Workers: A Prospective Cohort Study.

Matsugaki R, Matsuda S Phys Ther Res. 2025; 27(3):151-157.

PMID: 39866389 PMC: 11756560. DOI: 10.1298/ptr.E10304.

Occupational psychosocial exposures and chronic low-back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Jahn A, Andersen J, Seidler A, Christiansen D, Dalboge A Scand J Work Environ Health. 2024; 50(5):329-340.

PMID: 38739907 PMC: 11214847. DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.4165.

Occupational mechanical exposures as risk factor for chronic low-back pain: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Jahn A, Andersen J, Christiansen D, Seidler A, Dalboge A Scand J Work Environ Health. 2023; 49(7):453-465.

PMID: 37581384 PMC: 10838064. DOI: 10.5271/sjweh.4114.

Usage of the Brief Job Stress Questionnaire: A Systematic Review of a Comprehensive Job Stress Questionnaire in Japan from 2003 to 2021.

Watanabe K, Imamura K, Eguchi H, Hidaka Y, Komase Y, Sakuraya A Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2023; 20(3).

PMID: 36767182 PMC: 9914747. DOI: 10.3390/ijerph20031814.

Changes in task-specific fear of movement and impaired trunk motor control by pain neuroscience education and exercise: A preliminary single-case study of a worker with low back pain.

Fujii R, Imai R, Shigetoh H, Tanaka S, Morioka S SAGE Open Med Case Rep. 2022; 10:2050313X221131162.

PMID: 36313268 PMC: 9608066. DOI: 10.1177/2050313X221131162.

References

Muto S, Muto T, Seo A, Yoshida T, Taoda K, Watanabe M . Prevalence of and risk factors for low back pain among staffs in schools for physically and mentally handicapped children. Ind Health. 2006; 44(1):123-7. DOI: 10.2486/indhealth.44.123. View

Kawakami N, Kobayashi F, Araki S, Haratani T, Furui H . Assessment of job stress dimensions based on the job demands- control model of employees of telecommunication and electric power companies in Japan: reliability and validity of the Japanese version of the Job Content Questionnaire. Int J Behav Med. 1995; 2(4):358-75. DOI: 10.1207/s15327558ijbm0204_5. View

Maetzel A, Li L . The economic burden of low back pain: a review of studies published between 1996 and 2001. Best Pract Res Clin Rheumatol. 2002; 16(1):23-30. DOI: 10.1053/berh.2001.0204. View

Matsudaira K, Konishi H, Miyoshi K, Isomura T, Takeshita K, Hara N . Potential risk factors for new onset of back pain disability in Japanese workers: findings from the Japan epidemiological research of occupation-related back pain study. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2012; 37(15):1324-33. DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e3182498382. View

Evans S, Tsao J, Lu Q, Myers C, Suresh J, Zeltzer L . Parent-Child Pain Relationships from a Psychosocial Perspective: A Review of the Literature. J Pain Manag. 2009; 1(3):237-246. PMC: 2658611. View

Ogino Y, Nemoto H, Inui K, Saito S, Kakigi R, Goto F . Inner experience of pain: imagination of pain while viewing images showing painful events forms subjective pain representation in human brain. Cereb Cortex. 2006; 17(5):1139-46. DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhl023. View

Schmidt C, Raspe H, Pfingsten M, Hasenbring M, Basler H, Eich W . Back pain in the German adult population: prevalence, severity, and sociodemographic correlates in a multiregional survey. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2007; 32(18):2005-11. DOI: 10.1097/BRS.0b013e318133fad8. View

Lynch A, Kashikar-Zuck S, Goldschneider K, Jones B . Psychosocial risks for disability in children with chronic back pain. J Pain. 2006; 7(4):244-51. DOI: 10.1016/j.jpain.2005.11.001. View

Linton S . Occupational psychological factors increase the risk for back pain: a systematic review. J Occup Rehabil. 2001; 11(1):53-66. DOI: 10.1023/a:1016656225318. View

10.

Von Korff M, Ormel J, Keefe F, Dworkin S . Grading the severity of chronic pain. Pain. 1992; 50(2):133-149. DOI: 10.1016/0304-3959(92)90154-4. View

11.

Kaplan C, Lipkin Jr M, Gordon G . Somatization in primary care: patients with unexplained and vexing medical complaints. J Gen Intern Med. 1988; 3(2):177-90. DOI: 10.1007/BF02596128. View

12.

Walker B, Muller R, Grant W . Low back pain in Australian adults: prevalence and associated disability. J Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2004; 27(4):238-44. DOI: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2004.02.002. View

13.

Crook J, Milner R, Schultz I, Stringer B . Determinants of occupational disability following a low back injury: a critical review of the literature. J Occup Rehabil. 2002; 12(4):277-95. DOI: 10.1023/a:1020278708861. View

14.

Kawakami N, Kobayashi Y, Takao S, Tsutsumi A . Effects of web-based supervisor training on supervisor support and psychological distress among workers: a randomized controlled trial. Prev Med. 2005; 41(2):471-8. DOI: 10.1016/j.ypmed.2005.01.001. View

15.

Westman A, Boersma K, Leppert J, Linton S . Fear-avoidance beliefs, catastrophizing, and distress: a longitudinal subgroup analysis on patients with musculoskeletal pain. Clin J Pain. 2011; 27(7):567-77. DOI: 10.1097/AJP.0b013e318219ab6c. View

16.

Vos T, Flaxman A, Naghavi M, Lozano R, Michaud C, Ezzati M . Years lived with disability (YLDs) for 1160 sequelae of 289 diseases and injuries 1990-2010: a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2010. Lancet. 2012; 380(9859):2163-96. PMC: 6350784. DOI: 10.1016/S0140-6736(12)61729-2. View

17.

Hoogendoorn W, van Poppel M, Bongers P, Koes B, Bouter L . Systematic review of psychosocial factors at work and private life as risk factors for back pain. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2000; 25(16):2114-25. DOI: 10.1097/00007632-200008150-00017. View

18.

Coggon D, Ntani G, Palmer K, Felli V, Harari R, Barrero L . Disabling musculoskeletal pain in working populations: is it the job, the person, or the culture?. Pain. 2013; 154(6):856-63. PMC: 3675684. DOI: 10.1016/j.pain.2013.02.008. View

19.

Deyo R, Rainville J, Kent D . What can the history and physical examination tell us about low back pain?. JAMA. 1992; 268(6):760-5. View

20.

Shaw W, Pransky G, Fitzgerald T . Early prognosis for low back disability: intervention strategies for health care providers. Disabil Rehabil. 2002; 23(18):815-28. DOI: 10.1080/09638280110066280. View