Association of Low Back Pain with Shift Work: A Meta-Analysis

Abstract

Shift work (SW) is the main working schedule worldwide, and it may cause sleep disorders, breast cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Low back pain (LBP) is a common problem in the workplace; however, the association between LBP and SW remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine the association between SW and LBP. This study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases using a set of associated keywords were queried. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) adult employees hired by a company or organization; (2) SW exposure; and (3) the outcome of LBP according to examination or assessment. A total of 40 studies were included that met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. SW was significantly associated with LBP (odds ratio [OR]: 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18–1.47, p < 0.00001). Furthermore, it was observed that LBP was significantly associated with night shift (NS) (OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.24–1.82, p < 0.0001) but not with rotating shift (RS) (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.76–1.22, p = 0.49). Moreover, LBP was significantly associated with SW in health care workers (HCWs) (OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.20–1.63, p < 0.0001) but not in non-HCWs (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 0.94–1.50, p = 0.14). SW was significantly associated with LBP. Furthermore, the subgroup analysis showed that NS, but not RS, was associated with LBP. Compared with SW in non-HCWs, SW in HCWs was significantly associated with LBP.

Work-Related Musculoskeletal Pain in Hospital Employees

“…Inappropriate postural positions, ergonomic deficiencies, and heavy work conditions during hospital work lead to occupational problems. Bret et al reported that prolonged work in the same position and inappropriate posture are significant factors, which is consistent with our study, especially emphasizing their occurrence in the back and lower back regions (3). The prevalence of back pain was high, reaching around 70% in surgeons and dentists.…”

“…The risk factors causing work-related musculoskeletal disorders are divided into three categories: physicalergonomic, psychosocial, and personal risk factors, which are interrelated (3). Healthcare system employees perform daily activities that may lead to musculoskeletal disorders.…”

“…Personal risk factors include being female, age, smoking, overweight, low muscle strength, physical inactivity, and existing musculoskeletal diseases. The intense pace of workload, long and uninterrupted work hours, and tension at work pose a higher risk for healthcare workers compared to other professional groups (3,4).…”

A Cross-Sectional Observational Pilot Study of the Main Risk Factors Related to Lower Back Pain in Spanish Hospitality Workers

“…It would be very appropriate to carry out interventions focused on postural education and the promotion of self-care in this type of worker because most of them perform shift work (SW). In this sense, it must be considered that SW is the main work schedule worldwide and has been significantly associated with lower back pain [47], especially in overweight or obese workers [48]. Specifically, a multidisciplinary approach is recommended to obtain good results.…”