NIOSH study identifies key risk factors for work-related low back pain

August 5, 2024

Cincinnati — Various psychosocial, organizational and physical factors may increase workers’ risk of low back pain, according to a recent study led by NIOSH researchers.

Looking at 2015 data for more than 17,000 adult workers who participated in the National Health Interview Survey, the researchers found that the rate of low back pain was “significantly elevated” among those who reported:

·        High job demand

·        Low control over their work

·        Job insecurity

·        Work-life imbalance

·        Bullying

·        Nontraditional work shifts

·        Physical exertion

“Job control and nonstandard shifts were significantly associated with low back pain only among those who reported low/no physical exertion,” the study’s abstract states.

NIOSH says on its website: “Many workers will experience low back pain at some point. Understanding the causes of work-related low back pain is crucial to developing prevention methods.”

The study was published online in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine.