Low back pain, anthropometric indexes and range of motion of rural workers

• Published in: BrJP 2019-06, Vol.2 (2), p.117-122
• Main Authors: Nepomuceno, Patrik, Schmidt, Luíza Müller, Glänzel, Marcelo Henrique, Reckziegel, Miriam Beatrís, Pohl, Hildegard Hedwig, Reuter, Éboni Marília
• Format: Article
• Language: eng ; por
• Subjects: HEALTH CARE SCIENCES & SERVICES
• ISSN: 2595-0118; 2595-3192
• DOI: 10.5935/2595-0118.20190022

ABSTRACT BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: This study is necessary considering the expressive number of rural workers that are not assisted by a health professional despite the presence of musculoskeletal changes such as low back pain. Thus, the objective was to check if there is a relationship among low back pain levels, anthropometric measures and range of motion of rural workers. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with rural workers that used the visual analog scale to measure low back pain. The data on body mass index, fat percentage, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio and visceral fat area were obtained, as well as the assessment of posterior chain range of motion. RESULTS: Fifty-five rural workers were evaluated, with a predominance of women and married. Of the subjects evaluated, 37 (67.3%) reported low back pain, with an average pain of 3.4±2.7. More than half of the sample presented values of body mass index, fat percentage, waist circumference and waist-hip ratio considered undesirable. Those with pain had higher values of body mass index and visceral fat area. CONCLUSION: Rural workers with low back pain presented higher values of body mass index and visceral fat area, as well as those with an inadequate range of motion in the same region who had higher values of visceral fat area and pain. It is also possible to infer that there is an association between the values of body mass index and visceral fat area with the level of pain, just as the waist-hip ratio is associated with the levels of the range of motion.