Effect of a multidisciplinary program for the prevention of low back pain in hospital employees: A randomized controlled trial

BACKGROUND: Hospital workers with physically demanding jobs are at risk for developing recurrent LBP. There is a lack of studies evaluating multidisciplinary prevention of low back pain (LBP) in hospital workers. OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled trial evaluates the effect of a multidisciplinary prevention program, focusing on a client-centred approach, on hospital workers at risk for developing LBP. METHODS: Caregiving hospital workers were allocated to an experimental (12-week lasting multidisciplinary prevention program) or control group (no intervention). They were evaluated prior to the intervention and after a 6 months follow-up period. Primary outcome measures included incidence of LBP, work absenteeism and general health. Secondary outcomes included daily physical activity, job satisfaction and coping strategies. RESULTS: A significant improvement was seen for passive coping after 6 months follow-up, but no significant differences were observed between groups in primary or other secondary outcome measures (p > 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: A multidisciplinary prevention program fitting into a bio-psychosocial context may not have been intensive enough to promote a change in daily habitudes, and had no effect on work absenteeism, incidence of LBP or general health. Further research should determine whether prevention of LBP is possible in caregiving personnel.