Prevalencia, factores asociados y tratamiento del dolor lumbar en trabajadores de la salud

Abstract

Low back pain (LBP) in health professionals is a widespread problem, which could have multiple related factors; however, its repercussions are not only in the work environment but also in the quality of life. In this bibliographic review, 26 articles were included, categorized according to Scimago Journal & Country Rank in quartiles one to four, published in the last five years, in English and Spanish, of different quantitative research designs. Electronic databases such as PubMed, Cochrane, SciELO, and Scopus were used. Key descriptors in Spanish and English were employed, as well as Boolean search engines (and, or or not). The Patient, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcome (PICO) strategy of the PRISMA Guide was used to compile the information concerning the selected articles. The information was consolidated in custom tables. The prevalence of low back pain in healthcare workers was very high. The risk factors related to LBP were female sex, age range >30 years, overweight, obesity, smoking, posture, work schedule, work stress, repetitive movements, mobilization of dependent patients, and non-ergonomic seating. Physiotherapy was considered the first-line non-pharmacological treatment, followed by acupuncture. If pharmacological treatment is required, the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), opioids, muscle relaxants, and paracetamol is recommended. Conclusions: The prevalence of low back pain in health professionals is very high and is associated with sex, age, smoking, and occupational and ergonomic factors. Keywords: pain in the lumbar region, health staff, health professionals