Frequency of Work-related Low Back Pain and Disability Among Automobile Mechanics in Lahore

Low Back Pain and Disability in Automobile Mechanics

Abstract

Background: Automobile mechanic work is an extensive and physically hard job. Consequently, the
automobile workers suffer from ergonomic risk factors including Low Back Pain (LBP) as a major.Objective: To find out the prevalence of Low Back pain (LBP) and disability among automobile mechanics in Lahore.Methadology: he study was cross-sectional and included 180 automechanics of Lahore. Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire (OLBPDQ) was used to measure the disability caused by pain. Pain was
measured by Visual Analog Scale (VAS). Data was collected from 180 auto mechanics from auto repair
shops of Lahore.Results: Out of 180 individuals, 125 subjects reported LBP with average age of 30±5.3 years. 87 individuals (69.6%) were minimally disabled and 31 individuals (24.8%) experienced moderate disability, whereas only 7 individuals (5.6%) experienced severe.disability in activities of daily living (ADLs).
LBPis highly frequent among automobile mechanics. Majority of the individuals suffering from LBP had
minimal disability. The rate of moderate disability was also noticeable but number of individuals with
severe disability was very low. Overall, LBP disturbed the quality of life.