Effectiveness of Ergonomic Advices Along with Conventional Therapy on Low Back Pain Aspect of Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders in School Teachers

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders have achieved second position as highest occupational diseases following  the occupational mental diseases. There have been increased concern with prevalence of WMSDs in education sector as prevalence raised from 45% to 91% in school teachers in comparison to other occupational groups. Ergonomic advices help to improve pain, functional disability and combined ergonomic advices and conventional therapy may have positive effects on low back pain in school teachers. OBJECTIVE: The main aim of this clinical study is to determine the effect of Ergonomic advices along with the conventional therapy on Low Back Pain aspect of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in school teachers. SETTINGS & STUDY DESIGN: A comparative study conducted on school teachers having low back pain selected from three different schools of Indore M.P. MATERIAL & METHODS: 100 teachers participated in the experimental study, underwent treatment duration for 4 weeks after giving their informed consent. They were evaluated and randomized into experimental group receiving ergonomic advices along with conventional therapy and control group receiving only conventional therapy. The Pre and Post values of NPRS and RMDQ were recorded at the start of the treatment and consecutively after the end of the treatment DATA ANALYSIS: This was done by using parametric ‘t’ test to identify the significance of mean difference of score of NPRS, RMDQ at degree of freedom 98 at 0.05 level of significance. RESULT: After 4 weeks of treatment, there was significant improvement in pain and pain related disability in both the groups, but more improved results in values of NPRS and RMDQ were seen in group B which received combined treatment of Ergonomic advices with conventional therapy.