LBP is a major public health concern with enormous human and economic burden. The validity of the Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation (RNLE), a widely used job assessment tool, has not been studied previously in individuals with past LBP. The primary aim of this research was to study the relationship between RNLE measures and incident LBP episode risk after a 90-day pain free period using a prospective study design. One hundred and thirty industrial workers were identified as eligible to become an incident case for LBP. Univariate relationships between RNLE measures and incidence of LBP episode were studied using the Cox proportional hazards model. Significant associations between RNLE measures and incident LBP risk were found. It is concluded that the RNLE is predictive of incident LBP episode risk in individuals with past pain.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BernardB.P. (1997). Musculoskeletal disorders and workplace factors: a critical review of epidemiologic evidence for work-related musculoskeletal disorders of the neck, upper extremity, and low back. Publication #97 – 141 (Cincinnati, OH: US Department of Health and Human Services, Public Health Service, Centers for Disease Control, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health).
2.
BodaS. V.BhoyarP.GargA. (2010). Validation of Revised NIOSH Lifting Equation and 3D SSP Model to Predict Risk of Work-Related Low Back Pain. Paper presented at the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society 54th Annual Meeting, San Antonio, CA.
CostaL.MaherC.HancockM.McAuleyJ.HerbertR.CostaL. (2012). The prognosis of acute and persistent low back pain: a meta analysis. Canadian Medical Association Journal. Retrieved from http://www.cmaj.ca/content/early/2012/05/14/cmaj.111271.long)
5.
CoxD. R. (1972). Regression models and life tables. J.R. Stat. Soc. B34: 187-220.
6.
HangaiM.KaneokaK.KunoS.HinotsuS.SakaneM.MamizukaN.. (2008). Factors associated with lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration in the elderly. Spine J, 8(5), 732-740.
7.
HerrinG.D.JaraiediM.AndersonC.K. (1986). Prediction of over- exertion injuries using biomechanical and psychophysical models. American Industrial Hygiene Association Journal, 47(6), 322-330.
8.
KerrM. S.FrankJ. W.ShannonH. S.NormanR. W.WellsR. P.NeumannW. P.. (2001). Biomechanical and psychosocial risk factors for low back pain at work. Am J Public Health, 91(7), 1069-1075.
9.
LawrenceR. C.HelmickC. G.ArnettF. C.DeyoR. A.FelsonD. T.GianniniE. H.. (1998). Estimates of the prevalence of arthritis and selected musculoskeletal disorders in the United States. Arthritis Rheum, 41(5), 778-799.
10.
MarrasW. S.FergusonS. A.BurrD.SchaboP.MaronitisA. (2007). Low back pain recurrence in occupational environments. Spine (Phila Pa 1976), 32(21), 2387-2397.
11.
MarrasW. S.LavenderS. A.LeurgansS. E.FathallahF. A.FergusonS. A.AllreadW. G.. (1995). Biomechanical risk factors for occupationally related low back disorders. Ergonomics, 38(2), 377-410.
12.
MarrasW.S.FineL.J.FergusonS.A.WatersT.R. (1999). The effectiveness of commonly used lifting assessment methods to identify industrial jobs associated with elevated risk of low-back disorders. Ergonomics,42(1), 229-245.
13.
MirkaG. A.KelaherD. P.NayD. T.LawrenceB. M. (2000). Continuous assessment of back stress (CABS): a new method to quantify low-back stress in jobs with variable biomechanical demands. Human Factors, 42(2), 209-225.
14.
National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), DHHS, Work Practices Guide for Manual Lifting. 1981
15.
NormanR.WellsR.NeumannP.FrankJ.ShannonH.KerrM. (1998). A comparison of peak vs cumulative physical work exposure risk factors for the reporting of low back pain in the automotive industry. Clin Biomech (Bristol,Avon), 13(8), 561-573.
16.
PunnettL.FineL. J.KeyserlingW. M.HerrinG. D.ChaffinD. B. (1991). Back disorders and nonneutral trunk postures of automobile assembly workers. Scand J Work Environ Health, 17(5), 337-346.
17.
WatersT. R.Putz-AndersonV.GargA.FineL. J. (1993). Revised NIOSH equation for the design and evaluation of manual lifting tasks. Ergonomics, 36(7), 749-776.
18.
WatersT.R.BaronS.L.PiacitelliL.A.AndersonV.P.SkovT.Haring-SweeneyM.WallD.K.FineL.J. (1999). Evaluation of the revised NIOSH lifting equation. A cross-sectional epidemiologic study. Spine,24(4), 386-395.
19.
WatersT.R.LuM.PiacitelliL.A.WerrenD.DeddensJ.A. (2011). Efficacy of the revised NIOSH lifting equation to predict low back pain due to manual lifting. Expanded cross-sectional analysis. Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine,53(9), 1061-1067.
20.
WatersT.R.Putz-AndersonV.GargA. (1994). Applications manual for the revised NIOSH lifting equation. U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Pub. No. 94-110). Cincinnati, OH: DHHS (NIOSH).
