The healthy back,its environment and characteristics: a pilot study

It is a well known fact that low back pain is a frequently existing symptom in Sweden and in other industrialized countries. It would be of interest for the prophylaxis of this common condition to study possible special characteristics of persons who have never experienced low back pain. In the present pilot study, 21 men aged 50–59 years were interviewed and clinically examined for the purpose of identifying ‘the healthy back person’. The group consisted of employees from two enterprises, both blue and white collar workers. The subjects shared the services of an occupational health centre and they claimed never to have had low back pain. Their statements were checked with the General Sick Insurance Company (Allmanna forsakringskas-san). The interview dealt with questions about education, profession, mechanical and mental stress during present and previous work, leisure activities, life conditions, health status in general, heredity concerning low back trouble, and the interviewed person's opinion about his healthy back. The clinical examination was directed towards flexibility and muscle strength. The most consistent results of the interviews were that 20 out of 21 subjects experienced a high degree of independence and 17 stated that their jobs were very satisfactory. The clinical examination showed that the group was flexible in the back and hamstrings and that the isometric extensor muscle strength was considerably higher than the isometric flexion strength.