Effectiveness of Back Exercise and Education for Lower Back Pain Prevention among Nurses at a Tertiary Hospital in Bangkok, Thailand

Abstract

Objective: To examine the effectiveness of back exercise and education to promote lower back pain relief among nurses at a tertiary hospital. Methods:  This quasi-experimental study was conducted using a sample of sixty nurses working at Siriraj Hospital. Eligible criteria included full-time registered or practical nurses who had undergone direct contacted with patients for at least six months and suffered from chronic lower back pain. The subjects were randomly divided into a training group and a control group. The training group followed a back exercise program including pelvic tilting, back extension, and knee to chest at least 3 days a week for 12 weeks while the control group performed daily activities as normal. Data were collected using a questionnaire at baseline, 4^th, 8^th, and 12^th weeks. Results: Significant differences of pain score and the Thai version of the Oswestry questionnaire were scored between the training and control groups (P-value < 0.001), while beneficial effects improved significantly during the time points of exercise (P-value < 0.001). Conclusion: Back exercises and education can effectively relieve lower back pain and improve disabilities among nursing staff. Following our recommended procedures will improve the safety aspect for nurses working in tertiary hospitals.