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Table 1 Individual modifiable risk factors associated with low back pain

From: Low back pain risk factors in a large rural Australian Aboriginal community. An opportunity for managing co-morbidities?

 

Factors strongly associated with LBP (OR > 1.2-)

Factors moderately associated with LBP (OR ≥ 1–1.2-)

Lack of fitness/Physical inactivity

Balague, 1999 [44]*

Feuerstein, 1999[45] ****

 

Smoking

Balague, 1999[44] *

Feldmann, 1999[47] ***

Levangie, 1999[48] ***

Power, 2001[49] **

Leboeuf-Yde, 1995[46] *

Obesity

Koda, 1991[50] ****

Alcouffe, 1999[51] ****

Walker, 1999[52] **

Fransen, 2002[53] ****

Webb, 2003[55] ****

Leboeuf-Yde, 1999[46] *

Balague, 1999[44] *

Levangie, 1999[48] ****

Lecerf, 2003[54] ****

Mirtz, 2005[56] **

Psychosocial stress

Balague, 1995[57] ***

Hagg, 1997[58] ****

Josephson, 1998[60] ****

Adams, 1999[61] ***

Krause, 1998[62] ***

Feuerstein, 1999[45] ****

Bildt, 2000[63] ***

Thorbjornsson, 2000[64] ***

Vingard, 2000[65] ****

Yip, 2001[66] ****

Power, 2001[67] **

Harkness, 2003[68] ***

Van den Heuvel, 2004[69] ***

Balague, 1999[44] *

Hoogendorm, 2000[59] ***

Physical trauma

Harkness, 2003[68] ***

Balague, 1999[44] *

 
 

Factors strongly associated with LBP (OR > 1.2-)

Factors moderately associated with LBP (OR > 1–1.2-)

Awkward posture (at work)

Koda, 1991[50] ****

Alcouffe, 1999[51] ****

Jin, 2000[53] **

Picavet, 2000[70] ***

Frequent bending and twisting

Alcouffe, 1999[51] ****

Hoogendoorm, 2000[59] ***

Vingard, 2000[65] ****

Jin, 2000[71] **

Van den Heuvel, 2004[69] ***

Picavet, 2000[70] ***

Heavy lifting, repetitive lifting

Suadicani, 1994[72] ****

Marras, 1995[73] ****

Magnusson, 1996[74] ****

Sturmer, 1997[75] ****

Krause, 1998[62] ***

Josephson, 1998[60] ****

Alcouffe, 1999[51] ****

Thorbjornsson, 2000[64] ***

Vingard, 2000[65] ****

Hartvigsen, 2001[76] ***

Nahit, 2001[77] ****

Fransen, 2002[53] ****

Harkness, 2003[68] ***

 

Jarring, Gripping, vibration, repetitive actions

Bongers, 1993[78] *

Magnusson, 1996[74] ****

Levangie, 1999[48] ***

Pope, 1999[79] ***

Jin, 2000[71] *

 

Prolonged sitting & prolonged standing

Burdorf, 1994[80] ****

Bongers, 1993[78] **

Thorbjornsson, 2000[64] ***

Hartvigsen, 2000[81] ***

  1. NB: Only first authors included.
  2. Legend: + OR: Odds ratio
  3. Level I evidence *, Level II evidence **, Level III evidence ***, Level IV evidence****
  4. • Level I – based on studies such as meta-analyses or systematic reviews of all relevant randomised controlled trials (RCTs);
  5. • Level II – based on well-designed RCTs;
  6. • Level III – based on well-designed prospective or case-control analytical studies; and
  7. • Level IV – based on opinions of respected authorities, clinical experience, descriptive studies and case reports or reports of expert committees.