RADIOGRAPHIC ASSESSMENT OF LUMBOSACRAL ANGLE AND ITS CORRELATION WITH LOW BACK PAIN IN SEDENTARY WORKERS-A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a leading cause of disability among sedentary workers globally. Poor posture and prolonged sitting are known risk factors that may influence spinal alignment, particularly the lumbosacral angle (LSA), yet the specific correlation between LSA and LBP in desk-bound populations remains underexplored. Objective: To analyze the relationship between altered lumbosacral angles on radiographs and self-reported low back pain among sedentary office workers. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted over eight months in office settings in Lahore, Pakistan. A total of 150 sedentary employees aged 25–55 years were recruited. Standardized lateral lumbosacral radiographs were used to measure the LSA using Ferguson’s method. Participants completed the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) to assess pain and disability. Data were analyzed using SPSS v26.0. Independent t-tests, Pearson correlation, and multivariate linear regression were applied; p<0.05 was considered significant. Results: Participants with LBP (n=88) exhibited a significantly higher mean LSA (41.2° ± 6.3) compared to those without LBP (34.8° ± 5.9) (p<0.001). A moderate positive correlation was observed between LSA and VAS scores (r=0.48, p=0.002). Regression analysis confirmed LSA as a significant predictor of pain intensity (β=0.42, p=0.001), independent of age, BMI, and job duration. Conclusion: Increased lumbosacral angles are strongly associated with the presence and severity of low back pain in sedentary office workers. Routine biomechanical assessment and ergonomic interventions may help prevent posture-related spinal discomfort in such populations.