DOI: 10.5061/dryad.9g8q52g
title: Data from: Does the performance of five back-associated exercises relate to the presence of low back pain? A cross-sectional observational investigation in regional Australian council workers

description: Objectives: investigate the relationships between the ability/inability to
 perform five physical test-exercises and the presence or absence of low
 back pain (LBP). Setting: regional Australian council training facility.
 Participants: consecutive participants recruited during 39 back education
 classes (8-26 participants per class) for workers in general
 office/administration, parks/gardens maintenance, roads maintenance,
 library, child-care and management. Total sample (n=539) was reduced
 through non-consent and insufficient demographic data to n=422. Age
 38.6+/-15.3 years, range 18-64 years, 67.1% male. Methods:
 cross-sectional, exploratory, observational investigation. LBP presence
 was ascertained from a three-response option questionnaire: 0=none/rarely
 (NO) 1=sometimes (Some), 2=mostly/always (Most). Statistical correlation
 was performed with the number of the five test-exercises the individual
 successfully performed: 1) extension-in-lying, 3-seconds; 2)
 ‘toilet-squat’; feet flat, feet touched, 3-seconds; 3) full-squat then
 stand-up, 5-times; 4) supine sit-up, knees flexed, 10-times; and 5)
 leg-extension, supine bilateral, 10-times. Interventions: nil. Results:
 for the group ‘NO-Some’, 94.3% completed 4-5 test-exercises, for ‘With’,
 95.7% completed 0-1 test-exercises. The relationship between LBP presence
 and number of exercises performed was highly significant (Χ2(10)=300.61,
 p&lt;0.001). Further, multinomial logistic regression predicting LBP
 (0=NO, 1=Some, 2=Most) from the number of exercises completed,
 substantially improved the model fit (initial-2LL=348.246,
 final-2LL=73.620, Χ2(2)=274.626, p&lt;0.001). As the number of
 exercises performed increased, the odds of reporting ‘Some-LBP’ or
 ‘Most-LBP’ dropped substantially (odds ratios of 0.34 and 0.17,
 respectively). Conclusion: the ability to complete/not-complete five
 test-exercises correlated statistically and significantly with a higher
 LBP presence/absence in a general working population. Training individuals
 to complete such exercises could facilitate reductions in LBP incidence
 however, causality cannot be inferred. Randomized trials are recommended
 to establish the potential efficacy of exercise-based approaches,
 considering these five selected exercises, for predicting and managing
 LBP.
description: Data File - Low back
 pain versus ability to perform 5 exercisesExcel file of data:A
 cross-sectional, exploratory, observational investigation was initiated
 over a period of 28 months in a population of employees with the Sunshine
 Coast Regional Council in Queensland, Australia. Workers from a
 convenience sample were consecutively recruited during 39 annual back
 educational programme classes of two hours duration. A total of 21
 separate occupational categories were recorded and an additional ‘Other’
 category for miscellaneous non-specified occupations. Class participant
 numbers ranged from 8-26, with a total sample of n=539. Only participants
 who consented were included. Data was excluded if there was insufficient
 demographic information. Consequently, the sample was reduced to a total
 of n=422, age 38.6±15.3 years, range 18-64 years, 67.3% male. Males were
 predominant in manual occupational roles including maintenance and
 construction, while females were predominant in carer and resource
 management including child-care, community services, library and records
 roles.Data
 File - LBP Y N Some v 5 Ex BMJ-O MAr 2018
 n.xlsx