Comparison of Spinal Sagittal Curvatures, Functional Status and Quality of Life of Medical Secretaries with or without Upper or Low Back Pain

Abstract

Background: Upper and/or low back pain are common in medical secretaries. The aim of this study is to compare the curvature and mobility of the spine; disability and quality of life (QoL) of medical secretaries with or without upper or low back pain.
Materials and Methods: One hundred eleven medical secretaries working in the same hospital were included in the study. Medical secretaries were divided into two groups such as “with and without back pain”; and two other groups “with and without low back pain”. The curvature and mobility of the spine in the sagittal plane was measured using a non-invasive instrument called "Spinal Mouse™". The measurements were repeated while standing and in a sitting position.The Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was used to assess pain; the Oswestry Disability Scale (ODS) was used to assess functionality; and the Nottingham Health Profile (NHP) was used to assess QoL.
Results: The mean age of the medical secretaries (75 female/36 male) included in the study was 30.73±5.74 years. Mean VAS score of 51 secretaries with back pain was 5.47±2.67; mean VAS score of 63 secretaries with low back pain was 5.52±2.66. The thoracic kyphosis angles of the secretaries with back pain measured while sitting and standing were higher than that of the secretaries without back pain (p˂0.032, p˂0.001). There was no difference between the two groups in terms of thoracic vertebra mobility measured while sitting and standing. There was a difference between the two groups between NHP-total, NHP-energy, NHP-pain, NHP-emotional reactions and NHP-physical mobility subgroups (p˂0.001, p=0.001, p˂0.001, p=0.001, p=0.001). The lumbar lordosis angle of the secretaries with low back pain measured in standing position was lower than those without low back pain (p ˂0.001). There was no difference between the lumbar lordosis angle measured in the sitting position between the two groups in terms of lumbar vertebra mobility measured in the sitting position and while standing. There was a difference between ODS, the subgroups of NHP-total, NHP-energy, NHP-pain and NHP-physical mobility between the two groups (p˂0.001, p=0.025, p=0.042, p=0.039, p=0.019).
Conclusions: Although there was no difference in spinal mobility measured by using Spinal Mouse™; it was observed that in the secretaries with back pain, there was an increase in the kyphosis of thoracic spine and there was a decrease in the lordosis of lumbar spine in those with low back pain. The presence of upper and low back pain negatively affects functionality and QoL.

Sırt veya Bel Ağrısı Olan ve Olmayan Tıbbi Sekreterlerin Omurga Sagittal Eğrilikleri, Fonksiyonel Durum ve Yaşam Kalitesi Düzeylerinin Karşılaştırılması

Abstract

Amaç: Tıbbi sekreterlerde sırt ve/veya bel ağrısı sık görülmektedir. Bu çalışmanın amacı, sırt veya bel ağrısı olan sekreterler ile olmayan sekreterlerin omurga eğriliği, omurga hareketliliği, disabilite ve yaşam kalitesi düzeylerini karşılaştırmaktır.
Materyal ve Metod: Çalışmaya aynı hastanede çalışan 111 tıbbi sekreter dahil edildi. Tıbbi sekreterler sırt ağrısı olan ve olmayan olarak iki gruba; bel ağrısı olan ve olmayan olarak diğer iki gruba ayrıldılar. Omurganın sagittal düzlemdeki şekli ve hareketliliği “Spinal Mouse™” isimli non-invaziv bir alet kullanılarak ölçüldü. Ölçümler ayakta dururken ve oturma pozisyonunda ayrı ayrı tekrarlandı. Ağrı şiddeti Vizüel Analog Skala (VAS) ile; fonksiyonel durum Oswestry Disabilite Ölçeği (ODÖ) ile; yaşam kalitesi ise Notthigham Sağlık Profili (NSP) kullanılarak değerlendirildi.
Bulgular: Çalışmaya dahil edilen tıbbi sekreterlerin (75 kadın/36 erkek) yaş ortalaması 30.73±5.74 yıl idi. Sırt ağrısı olan 51 sekreterin VAS ortalaması 5.47±2.67; bel ağrısı olan 63 sekreterin VAS ortalaması 5.52±2.66 idi. Sırt ağrısı olan sekreterlerin oturur pozisyonda ve ayakta iken ölçülen torakal kifoz açısı, sırt ağrısı olmayan sekreterlere göre daha yüksekti (p˂0.032, p˂0.001). Her iki grup arasında oturur pozisyonda ve ayakta iken ölçülen torakal vertebra hareketliliği açısından anlamlı fark yoktu. İki grup arasında NSP-total, NSP-enerji, NSP-ağrı, NSP-duygusal reaksiyonlar ve NSP-fiziksel hareketlilik alt grupları arasında anlamlı fark vardı (p˂0.001, p=0.001, p˂0.001, p=0.001, p=0.001). Bel ağrısı olan sekreterlerin ayakta duruşta ölçülen lomber lordoz açısı, bel ağrısı olmayanlara göre daha düşüktü (p˂0.001). Her iki grup arasında oturur pozisyonda iken ölçülen lomber lordoz açısı ile oturur pozisyonda ve ayakta iken ölçülen lomber vertebra hareketliliği açısından anlamlı fark yoktu. İki grup arasında ODÖ, NSP-total, NSP-enerji, NSP-ağrı ve NSP-fiziksel hareketlilik alt grupları arasında anlamlı fark vardı (p˂0.001, p=0.025, p=0.042, p=0.039, p=0.019).
Sonuç: Spinal Mouse™ kullanılarak yapılan ölçümlerde omurga hareketliliğinde fark olmamasına rağmen; sırt ağrısı olan sekretelerde torakal omurgada kifoz artışı, bel ağrısı olanlarda da lomber omurgada lordoz azalması olduğu görülmüştür. Sırt ve bel ağrısının varlığı fonksiyonel durumu ve yaşam kalitesini olumsuz etkilemektedir.  

Keywords

• Bilgisayar çalışanı,postür bozukluğu,ağrı,Spinal Mouse™,hayat kalitesi

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