Association of Low Back Pain with Shift Work: A Meta-Analysis

Shift work (SW) is the main working schedule worldwide, and it may cause sleep disorders, breast cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Low back pain (LBP) is a common problem in the workplace; however, the association between LBP and SW remains unclear. Therefore, we conducted a meta-analysis to determine the association between SW and LBP. This study was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. The PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases using a set of associated keywords were queried. The inclusion criteria were as follows: (1) adult employees hired by a company or organization; (2) SW exposure; and (3) the outcome of LBP according to examination or assessment. A total of 40 studies were included that met the inclusion criteria for the meta-analysis. SW was significantly associated with LBP (odds ratio [OR]: 1.31, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.18-1.47, p < 0.00001). Furthermore, it was observed that LBP was significantly associated with night shift (NS) (OR: 1.49, 95% CI: 1.24-1.82, p < 0.0001) but not with rotating shift (RS) (OR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.76-1.22, p = 0.49). Moreover, LBP was significantly associated with SW in health care workers (HCWs) (OR: 1.40, 95% CI: 1.20-1.63, p < 0.0001) but not in non-HCWs (OR: 1.19, 95% CI: 0.94-1.50, p = 0.14). SW was significantly associated with LBP. Furthermore, the subgroup analysis showed that NS, but not RS, was associated with LBP. Compared with SW in non-HCWs, SW in HCWs was significantly associated with LBP.

Automated summary

This meta-analysis aimed to determine the association between shift work and low back pain (LBP). The analysis of 40 studies found a significant association between shift work and LBP. Subgroup analysis showed that night shift was associated with LBP, while rotating shift was not. Additionally, healthcare workers had a higher risk of LBP compared to non-healthcare workers.