occupatIonal low back paIn

Second only to headaches in the ranking of painful disorders that affect humans, low back pain is a common cause of morbidity and incapacity and is associated with significant social and economic impact1,2. Epidemiological studies indicate that the prevalence of low back pain in the general population is between 50 and 80%3-5: Low back pain is one of the principal causes of medical consultations, hospitalizations and surgical interventions and commonly affects men over the age of 40 and women between 50 and 60 years of age; in the case of women this is probably the result of the increased prevalence and the consequences of osteoporosis6-9. Occupational low back pain is the largest single health problem related to work and absenteeism at most common cause of incapacity among workers aged less than 45, it primarily affects young adults and is responsible for approximately one quarter of all cases of premature invalidity6,10-12. Since occupational lower back pain affects the economically active part of the population, is related to work incapacity, causes suffering to patients, involves costs due to lost productivity, days off work, medical and legal expenses and social security and insurance payments for invalidity, it should not only analyzed as a medical issue, but also as a social and economic problem13,14.