The Analysis of the Frequency of Low Back Pain Syndrome Depending on Body Type and Gender

Ocena częstości występowania zespołów bólowych lędźwiowego odcinka kręgosłupa w zależności od typu budowy ciała oraz płci

Abstract

Introduction. Obesity is one of the causes of the incidence and the intensification of low back pain. The muscular corset in the lumbar-sacral region is weakened by abdominal obesity, thus often leading to the instability of this part of the spine.

The aim of the study was to analyze the influence of obesity, measured with the use of the BMI, WHR and Rohrer's indexes, on the incidence of pain in the lower spine.

Materials and methods. The study was carried out on 114 patients diagnosed with degenerative changes of the spine, treated in the Outpatient Physiotherapy Clinic of the Independent Public Health Care Center in Szczecin. The study was based on a direct survey supported by an interview, applying a specially designed own questionnaire complemented with a clinical study. A degree of obesity and a body type were determined using the BMI, WHR and Rohrer's indexes.

Results. In the analyzed group of patients, the BMI index shows that men are more likely to be overweight (59%, n=20), while the weight of women more often falls within the normal range (48%, n=36). The WHR index indicates that the android body type is predominant in women compared to men (60% vs. 56.4%). The less frequent gynoid body type is more often characteristic of men than women (43.6% vs. 40%). The Rohrer's index shows that men more often have a pyknic body type (69.2%, n = 27), whilst in women the athletic body type is more frequent (30.7%, n=23), but leptosomic body type is relatively rare (9.3%, n=7). The incidence of low back pain statistically significantly depends on BMI (p <0.05).

Conclusions. Anthropometric measurements showed higher BMI and Rohrer's indexes in men. Moreover, a statistical dependence was found between the BMI and the incidence of pain in the lumbar region of the spine.