Factors affecting recovery from work-related, low back disorders in autoworkers.

OBJECTIVE: To simultaneously evaluate personal, medical, and job factors that could affect recovery from work-related, low back disorders, specifically focusing on an active working sample. DESIGN: Observational, longitudinal study. SETTING: Two US automotive plants. PARTICIPANTS: Employees (N=352; 289 men, 63 women; mean age +/- standard deviation, 45.1+/-7.5 y) who were active hourly autoworkers, diagnosed with work-related, low back disorder by the plant's medical department. INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Oswestry Disability Questionnaire for back pain was used to evaluate recovery. RESULTS: Factors associated with better recovery were lower stress levels (P<.001) and exercise or physical activity outside work (P<.001); factors associated with higher disability levels over time were current cigarette smoking (P<.01) and bedrest (P<.001). CONCLUSIONS: Personal modifiable factors are major influences in the recovery from work-related, low back disorders, even in active working populations. Interventions aimed at increasing exercise and decreasing stress should also be considered as a part of rehabilitation in employed persons with low levels of disability.