Purpose: To determine the prevalence of work-related low back pain during a 12-month period and the job factors that may be associated with this disorder in physical therapists. Subjects: 300 randomly selected practicing physical therapists in the state of Florida. Methods: Modified version of the Standardized Nordic Questionnaire for the analysis of musculoskeletal symptoms adapted from Bork. Components of the questionnaire included a symptom survey, job-factor survey, and various demographic information. Results: The reported prevalence of low back pain among physical therapists was 46%. The job factor rated most likely to contribute to work-related low back pain was "working in an awkward or cramped position." The prevalence of low back pain in physical therapists was also affected by work setting, patient population, gender of the therapist, and age of the therapist. Conclusion: Specific strategies should be developed and implemented to reduce the prevalence of work-related low back pain in the practice of physical therapy.
| Date of Award | Jan 1 1998 |
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| Original language | English |
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