Prevalence and risk factors of low back pain in military personnel: a systematic review

Abstract

Purpose: Low back pain (LBP) has a significant impact on the general population, especially on military personnel. This study aimed to systematically review the relevant literature to determine the prevalence and risk factors of low back pain among military personnel from different military occupational categories. Methods: For this systematic review, we searched Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane. We performed study selection, data extraction, and assessed the quality of the evidence using the adapted risk of bias assessment tool by Hoy et al. This review process was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. This study is registered on the Center for Open Science, registration DOI: 10.17605/OSF.IO/HRGE8. Results: Out of 860 papers, 19 studies met the inclusion criteria. More than 360 000 military people with lumbar pain situation were considered for inclusion in this systematic review. The 1-year prevalence of LBP could be up to 81.7% in the Army, 5.2% in the Marines, and 48.1% in the Air Force. Age (OR = 0.494–2.89), history of LBP (OR = 2.2–8.91), and sedentary position (OR = 0.55–3.63) were the most common physical, sociodemographic, and occupational risk factors, respectively. Conclusions: Low back pain was prevalent among military personnel. There was heterogeneity in studies and a significant difference in prevalence and incidence across various occupational categories. Physical, sociodemographic, and occupational risk factors were researched more than psychological risk factors in the military.

Keywords

• air force
• army
• low back pain
• navy
• prevalence
• risk factors