Background Back pain is a major global health problem, causing greater disability worldwide than any other condition. Regular physical activity is widely believed to have important health benefits, such as improving quality of life and mobility, and reducing disabilities. Conversely, lack of physical activity is considered a risk factor for increasing chronic diseases, functional dependence and mortality. Patients with low back pain (LBP) often report disability to perform daily activities. Also, decreased physical activity level can lead to low back pain.

Objectives The aim of the study was to determinewhether increasing the level of physical activity affects the low back pain or not in the population of univesity students.

Methods The cross-sectional study included 350 students (181 females and 169 males) with a mean age of 19.8±1.9 years. LBP was determined using the validated Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). ODI consist of ten items and are completed in reference to the patient's functional status “today”. Physical activity level was evaluated by the short form of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). IPAQ is a scale to be recorded at different levels of physical activity time in the last week. IPAQ is a scale to be recorded at different levels of physical activity time in the last week. Individuals whose score is lower than 600 MET are described as inactive (IPAQ 1), between 600–1500 MET (IPAQ 3) are described as minimal active and higher than 3000 MET (IPAQ 5)are described as active. For the statistical analyzing we used spearman correlation test.

Results According to the short form of IPAQ, %14.8 percent of students were found inactive, % 48.1 percent of students were found minimal inactive and %37.1 percent of students were found active. The total score of Oswestry disability index was found 6,2±5,0. There was a significant difference between the Oswestry disability index score of inactive, minimally active and active groups (p=0,02). In addition to this, between the Oswestry disability index and total score of IPAQ was found a weak correlation in the negative direction (p=0,01; r=-0,184). Between the IPAQwhich means vigorous intensity activity, and Oswestry disability index was found a weak correlation in the negative direction (p=0,00; r=-0,190). And also between IPAQ3, which means modarate intensity activity, and Oswestry disability index was found a significant but weak correlation in the negative direction (p=0,03; r=-0,157). Between Oswestry disability index and sedentary activity and walking was not found any significant correlation (p>0.005).

Conclusions According to our study, increasing the level of physical activity may reduce low back pain. Especially vigorous and modarate intensity activity can be effective in prevention from low back pain. For reducing of low back pain, sedentary activity and walking did not have any significant effect in our study. Therefore, the level of physical activity should be increased at the young age to prevent of low back pain which is a major health problem.

References

1. Saglam, Melda, et al. International physical activity questionnaire: reliability and validity of the Turkish version. Perceptual and motor skills 111.1 (2010): 278–284.

2. Fairbank, Jeremy CT, and Paul B. Pynsent. The Oswestry disability index. Spine 25.22 (2000): 2940–2953.

References

Disclosure of Interest None declared