Preventing low back pain among schoolteachers: a focus on physical activity

Résumé fourni par la source

Introduction. Teachers had a relatively constant high prevalence of mental and physical disorders. Physical activity, considering all the physiological stimulations and secretions that could be generated by regular practice, could have a positive impact on teachers’ health. This study aimed to determine the describe the specificities of physical activity among schoolteachers and to study its association with low back pain occurrence. Material and methods. This was a cross-sectional survey with a representative sample of teachers, conducted in secondary, middle, and primary public schools in Sfax, Tunisia, during the period March 1st to April 30th, 2021. Results. Among 525 participants, 233 teachers were males (44.4%), and the median age was 48 years (Inter Quartile Range (IQR)=[41—53] years). Our results reported that 289 teachers (55.1%) had a regular low level of physical activity or no physical activity, 133 teachers (25.3%) had a moderate level and 103 teachers (19.6%) had a high level of PA giving a global prevalence of moderate to a high level of physical activity of 44.9% (n=236). Teachers with no or low level of physical activity had statistically higher rates of severe low back pain (Odds Ratio (OR)=1.5; p=0.046), coronary disease (OR=2.89; p=0.001), overweight (OR=1.6; p=0.011), and tobacco consumption (OR=1.9; p=0.042). Conclusion. This study highlighted a relatively low prevalence of physical activity among South Tunisian school teachers. It showed also statistical benefits of physical activity among teachers in terms of chronic diseases, mainly low back pain, as well as lifestyle behavior. Thus, teachers should be educated and encouraged to do regular physical exercise in order to have a good quality of life.

Ce résumé expose les affirmations des auteurs. BNTIC ne l’interprète pas comme une validation indépendante des résultats.