Document Type : Original Articles

Authors

• Fahimeh Kamali Sarvestani ¹
• Sayed Alireza Derakhshan Rad ²
• Elham Hamooleh ³

¹ PhD in Physiotherapy, Academic Member, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

² MSc in Occupational Therapy, Academic Member, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

³ BSc in Physiotherapy, School of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Abstract

Introduction: Low back pain due to prolonged inactivity and improper physical postures is a common problem among office staff causing them to suffer from the physical, mental, social and professional complications. The aim of the present study, in which a pictorial educational pamphlet was used, was to examine the efficacy of awareness of appropriate postures in relieving pain and disability in clerks with low back pain.Materials and Methods: 40 staffers aged 25 to 50 years (mean, 35.7 years) participated in a 3-month quasi-experimental study with a pre-post test design. All subjects had chronic low back pain and they were recruited through convenient sampling method from 6 state agencies. At the initiation of the study, pain and the level of disability were assessed via visual analog scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Questionnaire. Then, guidelines were instructed to them by a physiotherapist in a 20-minute session. Throughout the first two months of the study, the examinees were closely monitored in order to ensure that they followed the instructions. At the end of the third month, pain and disability level were re-assessed. All data of interest were statistically analyzed through paired t test.Results: Regarding pain intensity, the difference between VAS mean scores obtained before and after training program was significant (P = 0.0001). Moreover, disability levels were significantly different comparing pre- and post-test mean scores (P = 0.0001).Conclusion: Being compliant with the guidelines of the pamphlet used in this study for three months can be associated with relieving pain and disability levels of staffers.Keywords: Educational pamphlet, Chronic low back pain, Disability, Staffers