Development and Validation of the Lagos Low Back Assessment Tool (LagLBAT) for Workplace Health Screening

Low back pain (LBP) remains a leading global cause of musculoskeletal disability, activity limitation, and work absenteeism, imposing substantial direct healthcare expenses and indirect productivity losses on industrial enterprises. Workplace health surveillance represents a vital, proactive strategy for secondary prevention and early clinical intervention. This study aimed to develop and psychometrically validate a novel, cost-effective, performance-based screening instrument for the Lagos Low Back Assessment Tool (LagLBAT) tailored for functional lumbar evaluation in occupational environments. The instrument was developed across two systematic phases: (1) item selection and operational calibration derived from established therapeutic spinal exercises, refined through content and face validity appraisal by an interdisciplinary Expert Review Panel (ERP); and (2) psychometric validation among a working cohort (n = 28) predominantly comprising factory, white-collar, and self-employed personnel. The finalized LagLBAT incorporates 23 objective performance items graded across a 5- point ordinal scale (range 1–5, maximum score 75) evaluating core stability, lumbo-pelvic mobility, and muscular endurance. Internal consistency was robust, yielding an overall Cronbach ’s alpha of 0.79 (subscales: 0.774 to 0.793). Test–retest reliability across a one-week interval demonstrated high stability, with item-level Spearman rank correlations ranging from 0.68 to 0.91 and a composite correlation of r = 0.72. Paired t-test analysis revealed no statistically significant divergence between test and retest sessions (mean difference = 0.0385; 95% CI: _0.276 to 0.268; p = 0.97). The mean administration time was 12.0 ± 2.5 minutes. The LagLBAT is a reliable, valid, and time- efficient objective instrument for pre-employment, periodic, and return-to-work health assessments in occupational settings.