Correlation of body mass index, posture and working hours of administrative workers with or without low back pain- an observational study

Background and Objectives: Low back pain can be defined as pain localized below the line of the twelfth rib and above the inferior gluteal fold, with or without leg pain. Nearly 76% of Computer professionals from India reported some kind of musculoskeletal discomfort in various epidemiological studies. This present study is aimed to investigate if there was a correlation between BMI, posture and working hours of administrative workers in being a risk factor for low back pain. Methodology: Administrative workers who use computer for their daily work were considered for the study. Out of the 100 participants 26 were male participants and 74 were female participants. Demographic data like age, BMI, working hours was recorded in data collection sheets. Postural assessment was done in sitting and standing by observational and plumb line method respectively. Low back pain intensity was evaluated using visual analogue scale and Modified oswestry disability index. The correlation analysis was done between BMI, posture and working hours of each participant. Results: No significant correlation was found between body mass index, posture and working hours of administrative workers in being a risk factor for low back pain. Conclusion: The present study demonstrated that there was no significant correlation between body mass index, posture and working hours of administrative workers in being a risk factor for low back pain. However the present study indicated that increased body mass index and static posture during sitting may result in low back pain