The "sweet- and Sour-spot" of Occupational Physical Activity for Back Pain: a Prospective Accelerometer Study Among Eldercare Workers

Overview

Journal Scand J Work Environ Health

Specialties Environmental Health
Occupational Medicine

Date 2024 Jun 14

PMID 38874546

Authors

Stavros Kyriakidis

Charlotte Lund Rasmussen

Karen Sogaard

Andreas Holtermann

Charlotte Diana Norregaard Rasmussen

Nidhi Gupta

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Objectives: Both high and low levels of occupational physical activity are associated with back pain. Thus, there might be a "sweet- and sour-spot" of occupational physical activity for back pain. Our aim was to investigate if there exists an occupational physical activity "sweet- (lowest risk) and sour-spot" (highest risk) for back pain.

Methods: A total of 396 eldercare workers from 20 Danish nursing homes participated. Occupational physical activity was measured between 1-4 working days using thigh-worn accelerometry. Back pain intensity was reported monthly on a scale from 0-10 over 1-year. A zero-inflated mixed-effects model was developed regressing occupational physical activity against back pain, adjusted for confounders. The "sweet- and sour-spot" were defined as the occupational physical activity compositions (sitting, standing, light, and moderate-to-vigorous) associated with the 5% lowest and highest risk for back pain, respectively.

Results: The composition associated with the lowest risk of back pain - the "sweet-spot"- consisted of 71% worktime spent sitting, 18% spent standing, 5% spent on light physical activity and 6% spent on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity. The composition associated with highest risk for back pain -the "sour-spot"- consisted of 8% worktime spent sitting, 66% spent standing, 4% spent on light physical activity, and 21% spent on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity.

Conclusions: The "sweet-spot" of occupational physical activity for back pain among eldercare workers involves more sitting and light physical activity time, while the "sour-spot" involves more standing and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity time. Research on the occupational physical activity "sweet- and sour-spot" is needed.

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