Loss of productivity due to back pain is a cost to your company. Is your company okay?

What are the economic and social impacts of back pain?

Back pain is one of the health problems that many people around the world suffer from, and it has a particularly serious impact on people who work standing up. "QUALITY OF LIFE AND PRODUCTIVITY LOSS COST ASSOCIATED WITH LOW BACK PAIN BY SEVERITY IN KOREA" We analyze the impact of the severity of low back pain on quality of life (QoL) and productivity loss, and investigate in detail the economic burden.

Research Overview

This study was conducted in South Korea. 30 patients with low back pain aged between 19 and 65 years The study was conducted on patients. "Moderate pain (NRS 4-6)" and "Severe pain (NRS 7 or higher)" The participants were divided into two groups and their quality of life and productivity loss costs were compared.

The two main indicators used in the study were:

• Quality of Life (QoL): Korean version EuroQol-5-dimension-5-level (EQ-5D-5L) Evaluated using.
• Lost Productivity Costs: iMTA Productivity Cost Questionnaire (iPCQ) Based on this, the impact of presenteeism (a state in which employees are at work but their efficiency is reduced) and unpaid work is assessed.

Key points of the research

1. Impact of pain severity on quality of life

• For patients with moderate back pain EQ-5D score teeth 0.754 (standard deviation 0.0604)
• Patients with severe back pain EQ-5D score teeth 0.654 (standard deviation 0.0407)
• A significant difference of 0.10 points (p<0.05) It was found that the more pain there was, the worse the quality of life became.

2. Comparing productivity loss costs

index	Moderate back pain	Severe back pain
Lost costs due to presenteeism	$172	$60
Lost costs of unpaid work	$64	$258
Total Lost Productivity Costs	$237	$318

• The losses from presenteeism are greater for the moderate group However,
• Lost unpaid work costs increase nearly fourfold for people with severe back pain This suggests that people with severe pain find it difficult to work at all.

3. Relationship between work style and back pain

• Among the participants 83.3% are female and
• Housewives (56.7%) are the most common This suggests that unpaid work such as housework and caregiving may be related to back pain.

Research findings

From the results of this study,

• The greater the severity of back pain Reduced quality of life and increased lost productivity costs do.
• Unpaid work is particularly impactful Therefore, measures to prevent back pain are important for people who perform housework or caregiving duties.
• Effective back pain management (prevention and treatment) This could potentially reduce the economic burden on society as a whole.

What are the measures for people who work standing up?

Based on the findings of this study, here are some concrete steps you can take to reduce back pain and improve productivity.

1. Improving the work environment

• Introduction of posture support devices (e.g. assist suits, waist supports)
• Adjusting the workspace (adjusting work surface height, switching between sitting and standing, etc.)

2. Proper rest and stretching

• When working while standing for long periods of time Stretch and do light exercise regularly Incorporate
• Improve your posture during breaks (such as sitting in a way that reduces strain on your lower back)

3. Exercises to prevent back pain

• Core training This reduces strain on the lower back.
• Maintaining good posture Be aware of

summary

Korean study finds severity of lower back pain Direct impact on quality of life and lost productivity It was revealed that unpaid work has a particularly large impact, and that taking measures against back pain can Improve labor productivity and reduce the burden on society as a whole It is expected that.

It is important not to ignore lower back pain and to take appropriate preventative measures and management measures. People who work standing up and company managers should take this research into account. Improving the work environment and strengthening preventive measures Why not consider using this service?