Office-goers resigned to working in unsatisfactory jobs are more likely to suffer from serious, persistent lower back pain than those with a positive attitude.
Markus Melloh, research associate professor in orthopaedics with the University of Western Australia, found that a third of people studied with niggling non-specific back pain went on to develop daily back pain that severely affected their career and social lives.u00a0
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Although the workers required extended sick leave and went to their doctors complaining of pain, only a few had suffered a physical change such as a slipped disc. Anatomical tests showed no reasons for their ongoing daily problems with pain.u00a0
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"Everybody has occasional lower back or neck pain but we are concerned about people with continuous non-specific pain for weeks at a time, which has significant socio-economic and personal costs," said Melloh, according to a Western Australia statement.u00a0
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A total of 315 patients who went to their doctors with their first episode of non-specific back pain were interviewed at that time and followed up at three, six and 12 weeks, and six months.u00a0
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The assessment included questions about their attitude. By the end of the study, 169 people were still participating in the research and about a third of them, 64 patients, were classed as having a persistent condition. Some reported worse pain after six months, which was not what doctors would usually expect.u00a0
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"Once people stay at home on sick leave, it gets harder to go back to work and the pain gets worse," added Melloh. "It's a vicious circle that needs to be broken."u00a0
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These findings will be presented at the Spine Society of Australia meeting in Sydney on Friday.u00a0
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