Low back pain, intervertebral disc and occupational diseases

Abstract

Nonspecific low back pain and sciatica are prevalent diseases among working adults and have become a worrying occupational health issue because they sometimes affect continuation or resumption of employment. Epidemiological studies that based questionnaires on workers' healthcare consumption have shown a higher prevalence of these disorders in certain industrial sectors. Thus, low back disorders are usually more prevalent among workers exposed to cumulative lumbar load such as manual handling, awkward postures of the trunk and whole-body vibrations. In addition, morphological and biomechanical studies have compared disc space narrowing and the intensity of lumbar workload. Although debated, the relationship between disc degeneration and biomechanical work exposures seems to be usually accepted by most authors. In response to a considerable need of prevention and compensation for workers, low back pain and/or disc disease can be recognized as an occupational diseases in several countries but the criteria of recognition remains heterogeneous from one country to another.

Can group-based reassuring information alter low back pain behavior? A cluster-randomized controlled trial

“…Termed a ‘functional disturbance’-model (or in most studies: the ‘non-injury’-model), this explanation was consistent with the emerging concepts present in clinical guidelines that most LBP is not due to permanent spinal damage or disc degeneration [11–14] and that leisure time physical activity and work exposures explain only a small part of degenerative conditions [15, 16]. Thus, the ‘functional disturbance’-model suggests that natural muscle use during leisure and work activities, which is necessary for movement and postural support, will rarely impart harmful spinal loads.…”

lncRNAs: novel players in intervertebral disc degeneration and osteoarthritis

“…The aetiology of IDD is currently attributed to the interaction between environmental and genetic factors (Figure ). Notably, environmental factors such as vibration, mechanical loading, physical activities and tobacco smoking are responsible for only a small portion of IDD . In contrast, genetic heredity is the predominant risk factor for degenerative disc disease and is estimated to cause over 70% of cases .…”

“…Notably, environmental factors such as vibration, mechanical loading, physical activities and tobacco smoking are responsible for only a small portion of IDD. [37][38][39] In contrast, genetic heredity is the predominant risk factor for degenerative disc disease and is estimated to cause over 70% of cases. 40,41 Although the pathogenesis of IDD is not completely understood, it is well established that progressive loss of ECM, cell proliferation, inflammatory response, angiogenesis, apoptosis, autophagy, and oxidative stress play critical roles in the occurrence and development of disc degeneration.…”

Occupational lumbar back accidents in the private sector: prevalence and factors associated with their severity and sequelae in central Tunisia

“…Il a été démontré que les vibrations exposent à un risque élevé de lésions du disque intervertébral pour des fréquences allant de 2 à 10 Hz (20). Elles entraînent une diminution de la distribution du flux sanguin et des perturbations du métabolisme normal du disque intervertébral responsable d'une dégénérescence discale plus rapide et rendant le disque intervertébral plus vulnérable.…”