Back Pain at Work

Abstract

In this chapter (and the one which follows) we shall deal with the aetiology of the work-related musculoskeletal disorders and in particular with their patterns of occurrence in different occupational groups. The epidemiological database concerning the work-related musculoskeletal disorders is patchy. Low back pain has been the subject of a number of large-scale surveys of people drawn from many different walks of life. But in other cases it will be necessary to base our discussions on studies of isolated working groups or to draw upon case-historical evidence of a less structured kind.