某化学工場勤労者における腰痛の実態調査

Study on Low Back Pain among Workers' in a Chemical Factory

　某化学工場勤労者に対してアンケート形式で腰痛の実態調査を行い，471人から回答を得た．日本整形外科学会腰痛疾患治療判定基準(JOAスコア)の自覚症状3項目(9点)，日常生活動作7項目(14点)よりなる23点満点の腰痛スコアは交代勤務者，飲酒頻度の高い者，喫煙者(喫煙期間の長い者)で有意に低値であった．運動習慣の有無は腰痛スコアと相関せず，むしろスポーツ活動中の腰痛発生が多かった．全体の約3分の2が1年以内に腰痛を経験していた．腰痛経験者の約45％が仕事に支障を感じており，その約3分の1が休職を経験していた．

　We conducted a survey on low back pain (LBP) among workers in a chemical factory.　The subjects were the 471 workers who filled out our questionnaire.　They rated the condition of their low back according to total “LBP scores”, which consist of scores for symptoms (maximum score 9 points) and scores for restriction of ADL (maximum score 14 points) in the scoring system of the Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA score).　Shift workers frequent drinkers, and smokers (longtime smokers) had significantly lower LBP scores, indicating severer symptoms and greater restriction of ADL.　Physical exercise had no significant effect on their LBP scores.　Sports activity was one of the major causes of the onset of LBP.　About two thirds of the respondents had experienced LBP.　Approximately 45% of the workers who had experienced LBP experienced difficulty in performing their jobs, and about one third of the 45% had taken time off from work.