Relationship between working posture/movement and measures to prevent low back pain among care workers: a cross-sectional study in the Kansai region of Japan

We investigated the implementation of safe work practices for preventing low back pain (LBP) among care workers (CWs) to ascertain the interrelationships between appropriate device use and the frequency of working postures/movements that cause LBP. This cross-sectional study used an anonymous, self-administered questionnaire of CW team leaders (one per facility) working at long-term care facilities in Japan. Data on bed-height adjustment, the use of devices for repositioning in bed and bed- and wheelchair-transfer assistance, and the frequency of awkward postures/movements were cross-tabulated and analyzed using Haberman's residuals. Among the LBP prevention measures adopted by the facilities, 79.1%, 61.6%, and 30.9% involved bed-height adjustment, the use of repositioning/transferring devices, and the use of mechanical lifts, respectively. However, only 12.8% of the facilities had thorough bed-height adjustments, and 79.5% and 86.5% repositioned residents on the bed without assistive devices or transferred residents between the bed and wheelchair without assistive devices, respectively. Facilities that enforce bed-height adjustment and device use had fewer incidences of awkward posture/movement than those that did not. Our study revealed a discrepancy between the facility's policy and the implementation of LBP prevention measures. Additionally, bed-height adjustment and device use were related to reduced working postures/movements that cause LBP.