title: Efficacy of the revised NIOSH lifting equation to predict risk of low-back pain associated with manual lifting: a one-year prospective study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of the Revised National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) lifting equation (RNLE) to predict risk of low-back pain (LBP).
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  In 1993, NIOSH published the RNLE as a risk assessment method for LBP associated with manual lifting. To date, there has been little research evaluating the RNLE as a predictor of the risk of LBP using a prospective design.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 78 healthy industrial workers' baseline LBP risk exposures and self-reported LBP at one-year follow-up were investigated. The composite lifting index (CLI), the outcome measure of the RNLE for analyzing multiple lifting tasks, was used as the main risk predictor. The risk was estimated using the mean and maximum CLI variables at baseline and self-reported LBP during the follow-up. Odds ratios (ORs) were calculated using a logistic regression analysis adjusted for covariates that included personal factors, physical activities outside of work, job factors, and work-related psychosocial characteristics.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The one-year self-reported LBP incidence was 32.1%. After controlling for history of prior LBP, supervisory support, and job strain, the categorical mean and maximum CLI above 2 had a significant relationship (OR = 5.1-6.5) with self-reported LBP, as compared with the CLI below or equal to I. The correlation between the continuous CLI variables and LBP was unclear.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The CLI > 2 threshold may be useful for predicting self-reported LBP. Research with a larger sample size is needed to clarify the exposure-response relationship between the CLI and LBP.
authors.forename: Ming-Lun
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Thomas R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Waters
authors.forename: Edward
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Krieg
authors.forename: Dwight
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Werren
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D017770:Lifting / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009314:National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, U.S.; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000523:psychology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology