title: Evaluation of the Effects of Physical Activity, Cardiorespiratory Condition, and Neuromuscular Fitness on Direct Healthcare Costs and Sickness-Related Absence Among Nursing Personnel With Recurrent Nonspecific Low Back Pain.
abstract: METHODS
  A cross-sectional study, part of a randomized controlled trial.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the association of physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and neuromuscular fitness with direct healthcare costs and sickness-related absence among nursing personnel with nonspecific low back pain.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Low back pain creates a huge economic burden due to increased sick leave and use of healthcare services.
  
  
  METHODS
  Female nursing personnel with nonspecific low back pain were included (n = 219). Physical activity was assessed with accelerometry and a questionnaire. In addition, measurements of cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness were conducted. Direct costs and sickness-related absence for a 6-month period were collected retrospectively by questionnaire. Health care utilization and absence from work were analyzed with a general linear model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The mean total costs were 80.5% lower among women who met physical activity recommendations than inactive women. Those with a higher mean daily intensity level of 10-minute activity sessions showed lower total costs than women in the lowest tertile (middle: 64.0% of the lowest; highest: 54.3% of the lowest). Women with good cardiorespiratory fitness (the highest tertile) as measured with the 6-minute-walk test (based on walking distance) had 77.0% lower total costs when compared with the lowest tertile. Women in the highest third for the modified push-up test had 84.0% lower total costs than those with the poorest results (the bottom tertile).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  High cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness and meeting physical activity recommendations for aerobic and muscular fitness were strongly associated with lower total costs among nursing personnel with pain-related disorders of recurrent nonspecific low back pain. Actions to increase physical activity and muscle conditioning may significantly save on healthcare costs and decrease sick-leave costs due to low back pain.
authors.affiliation: UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Päivi
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kolu
authors.affiliation: UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere, Finland.|School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Kari
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tokola
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Markku
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kankaanpää
authors.affiliation: UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research, Tampere, Finland.
authors.forename: Jaana
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Suni
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D017048:Health Care Costs; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000191:economics / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009726:Nurses; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D018582:Sick Leave / Q000191:economics*