In recent years, the correct lifting technique in connection with back pain has been increasingly called into question.
The biomechanical loads are often not very different for different lifting techniques, and people with back pain are often more likely to exhibit protective behavior and even tend to move their backs less.
Again, there is increasing evidence that pain during lifting, which appears to be a very mechanical problem, is influenced by various non-mechanical factors.
In this observational study, Saraceni and colleagues investigated this in more detail and compared a group with and a group without back pain during a lifting task.
All participants performed a manual task and had to lift min.
20 items per day.
Various psychological, work and lifestyle-related, general health and psychophysical factors were recorded and examined to see whether there were differences between the groups.
There were no differences in the psychological factors.
However, it was noticeable that the group with back pain reported a subjectively poorer quality of sleep and had more general symptoms such as more pain in the body, digestive problems and pseudo-neurological symptoms.
It is important to point out that this was only a snapshot with a small study population and therefore no causality can be inferred.
Nevertheless, this is another piece of the puzzle that points in the direction that persistent pain is more likely to be due to dysregulation of the neuroimmunological, endocrinological system.
What is your experience in the clinic?
Int J Environ Res Public Health.
2023 Jan 20;20(3):1903.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph20031903.
