title: The effect of daily walking steps on preventing neck and low back pain in sedentary workers: a 1-year prospective cohort study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study aimed to investigate the causal relationship between daily walking steps and the 1-year incidence of neck and low back pain in workers with sedentary jobs.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 1-year prospective study was carried out among 387 workers who reported no spinal symptoms in the previous 3 months with pain intensity greater than 30 mm on a 100-mm visual analog scale. Data were gathered using a self-administered questionnaire, physical examination, and pedometer. Follow-up data were collected every month for the incidence of musculoskeletal disorders and every 3 months for daily walking steps. Two regression models were built to analyze the effect of daily walking steps on the 1-year incidence of neck and low back pain.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 367 (95 %) participants followed for 1 year, 16 and 14 % reported incident neck and low back pain, respectively. After adjusting for confounders, a negative association between daily walking steps and onset of neck pain was found. Increasing daily walking steps by 1,000 reduced the risk of neck pain by 14 %. No significant association between daily walking steps and the onset of low back pain was found.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increasing daily walking steps is a protective factor for onset of neck pain in those with sedentary jobs. Interventions to reduce neck pain should include attempts to increase daily walking steps.
authors.affiliation: Interdisciplinary Program of Biomedical Sciences, Faculty of Graduate School, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand.
authors.forename: Ekalak
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Sitthipornvorakul
authors.forename: Prawit
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Janwantanakul
authors.forename: Vitool
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Lohsoonthorn
mesh_terms: D061725:Accelerometry; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D016015:Logistic Models; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D009784:Occupational Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010808:Physical Examination; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand; D016138:Walking