Observational studyBMJ open2019
A longitudinal observational study of back pain incidence, risk factors and occupational physical activity in Swedish marine trainees.
Observational study in BMJ open, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.
- Systematic Review of Injuries and Chronic Musculoskeletal Pain Among High-speed Boat Operators.Military medicine · 2024Pooled it
- Risk factors for low back pain in active military personnel: a systematic review.Chiropractic & manual therapies · 2021Pooled it
- Risk factors for musculoskeletal injuries in the military: a qualitative systematic review of the literature from the past two decades and a new prioritizing injury model.Military Medical Research · 2021Pooled it
- Prevalence and risk factors of low back pain among Lithuanian national defense volunteer forces.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2025Article
- Prevalence and risk factors of low back pain in military personnel: a systematic review.EFORT open reviews · 2024Article
- Observational
- Musculoskeletal disorders and their associations with health- and work-related factors: a cross-sectional comparison between Swedish air force personnel and army soldiers.BMC musculoskeletal disorders · 2020Article
- The Association Between Fitness Test Scores and Musculoskeletal Injury in Police Officers.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2019Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
5 authors at 4 institutions in 4 countries.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectivesTo evaluate the occurrence of low back pain (LBP) and LBP that limits work ability, to identify their potential early risks and to quantify occupational physical activity in Swedish Armed Forces (SwAF) marines during their basic 4 month marine training course.
designProspective observational cohort study with weekly follow-ups.
participantsFifty-three SwAF marines entering the training course. OUTCOMES: Incident of LBP and its related effect on work-ability and associated early risks. Occupational physical activity, as monitored using accelerometers and self-reports.
resultsDuring the training course, 68% of the marines experienced at least one episode of LBP. This yielded a LBP and LBP limiting work ability incidence rate of 13.5 (95% CI 10.4 to 17.8) and 6.3 (95% CI 4.2 to 10.0) episodes per 1000 person-days, respectively. Previous back pain and shorter body height (≤1.80 m) emerged as independent risks for LBP (HR 2.5, 95% CI 1.4 to 4.3; HR 2.0, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.3, respectively), as well as for LBP that limited work ability (HR 3.6, 95% CI 1.4 to 8.9; HR 4.5, 95% CI 2.0 to 10.0, respectively). Furthermore, managing fewer than four pull-ups emerged as a risk for LBP (HR 1.9, 95% CI 1.2 to 3.0), while physical training of fewer than three sessions per week emerged as a risk for LBP that limited work ability (HR 3.0, 95% CI 1.2 to 7.4). More than 80% of the work time measured was spent performing low levels of ambulation, however, combat equipment (≥17.5 kg) was carried for more than half of the work time.
conclusionsIncidents of LBP are common in SwAF marines' early careers. The link between LBP and previous pain as well as low levels of exercise highlights the need for preventive actions early on in a marine's career. The role of body height on LBP needs further investigation, including its relationship with body-worn equipment, before it can effectively contribute to LBP prevention.
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Registered trials
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