A Study of Farming and Low Back Pain Development in Mountainous Rural Area in Shizuoka Prefecture
10.2185/jjrm.32.841
- VernacularTitle:静岡県山村における農業労働と腰痛
- Author:
Fumio Karube
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- From:Journal of the Japanese Association of Rural Medicine
1983;32(4):841-850
- CountryJapan
- Language:Japanese
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Abstract:
The people who work in mountainous area were studied for low back pain and to clarify the relationship between the labor on hill side and the symptom development.
The study performed employing questionnaires about daily life profile and about low back pain, and lumbar spine x-ray examination.
The difference between farmers and non-farmers were specifically looked for.
The labor in season (May-July), and out of season (February) were also compared using diary for low back pain and the symptom development pursued.
The results showed below.
1. Those who developed low back dysfunction were 15-20%. The incidence increased up to 50 to 60% when they were followed for 1 year. There's been no increase in this rate for the past 10 years.
2. Farmers were 66.1% of 127 people, ages between 20 and 69. 81 of them (63.8%) had episodes of low back pain during 1 year period.
3. 50% of those who had low back pain attributed its cause to stooping, bending forward and lifting heavy weights.
4. In males, working hours and low back pain development had relevance. The symptom development in season, and out of season showed no difference.
In females, the workdays had a major influence.
5. The people in their 50s, in whom farmers were predominant, showed high symptom development and the difference between farmers and non-farmers were clearly identified in this age group. But as a whole, farmer or non-farmer, male or female were not determinant factors.
6. Low back pain were attributed to muscle syndromes (39.6%). discogenic low back pain (33.3%), Spondylosis deformance (22.9%), and others (4.2%)
