Data from: Does the performance of five back-associated exercises relate to the presence of low back pain? A cross-sectional observational investigation in regional Australian council workers

Objectives: investigate the relationships between the ability/inability to perform five physical test-exercises and the presence or absence of low back pain (LBP).
Setting: regional Australian council training facility.
Participants: consecutive participants recruited during 39 back education classes (8-26 participants per class) for workers in general office/administration, parks/gardens maintenance, roads maintenance, library, child-care and management. Total sample (n=539) was reduced through non-consent and insufficient demographic data to n=422. Age 38.6+/-15.3 years, range 18-64 years, 67.1% male.
Methods: cross-sectional, exploratory, observational investigation. LBP presence was ascertained from a three-response option questionnaire: 0=none/rarely (NO) 1=sometimes (Some), 2=mostly/always (Most). Statistical correlation was performed with the number of the five test-exercises the individual successfully performed: 1) extension-in-lying, 3-seconds; 2) ‘toilet-squat’; feet flat, feet touched, 3-seconds; 3) full-squat then stand-up, 5-times; 4) supine sit-up, knees flexed, 10-times; and 5) leg-extension, supine bilateral, 10-times.
Interventions: nil.
Results: for the group ‘NO-Some’, 94.3% completed 4-5 test-exercises, for ‘With’, 95.7% completed 0-1 test-exercises. The relationship between LBP presence and number of exercises performed was highly significant (Χ2(10)=300.61, p<0.001). Further, multinomial logistic regression predicting LBP (0=NO, 1=Some, 2=Most) from the number of exercises completed, substantially improved the model fit (initial-2LL=348.246, final-2LL=73.620, Χ2(2)=274.626, p<0.001). As the number of exercises performed increased, the odds of reporting ‘Some-LBP’ or ‘Most-LBP’ dropped substantially (odds ratios of 0.34 and 0.17, respectively).
Conclusion: the ability to complete/not-complete five test-exercises correlated statistically and significantly with a higher LBP presence/absence in a general working population. Training individuals to complete such exercises could facilitate reductions in LBP incidence however, causality cannot be inferred. Randomized trials are recommended to establish the potential efficacy of exercise-based approaches, considering these five selected exercises, for predicting and managing LBP.

研究目标：探究完成/无法完成五项体能测试动作与下腰痛（Low Back Pain, LBP）发生与否的关联。
研究场景：澳大利亚某地区市政委员会培训基地。
研究对象：在39场背部健康教育培训课程中招募的连续入组参与者，每堂课招募8-26名受试者，涵盖通用行政办公、园区园林维护、道路养护、图书馆、儿童保育及管理类岗位的工作人员。初始总样本量为539例，后因受试者未签署知情同意书或人口统计学数据不全，最终纳入分析的样本量为422例。受试者年龄为38.6±15.3岁，年龄范围18-64岁，其中男性占比67.1%。
研究方法：横断面探索性观察研究。通过含三个选项的自评问卷确认下腰痛发生情况：0=无/极少发生（无）、1=偶尔发生（偶发）、2=频繁/持续发生（频发）。以受试者成功完成五项测试动作的数量为指标开展统计学相关性分析，五项测试动作分别为：1）卧位伸展动作，维持3秒；2）“如厕蹲姿”动作：双脚平放、足尖并拢，维持3秒；3）完全蹲起动作，重复5次；4）屈膝仰卧起坐，重复10次；5）仰卧双侧腿部伸展动作，重复10次。
干预措施：无。
研究结果：在“无/偶发下腰痛”组中，94.3%的受试者可完成4-5项测试动作；而在“频发下腰痛”组中，95.7%的受试者仅能完成0-1项测试动作。下腰痛发生情况与完成测试动作数量之间的关联具有高度统计学显著性（χ²(10)=300.61，p<0.001）。进一步以完成测试动作的数量作为预测变量，采用多项逻辑回归分析预测下腰痛严重程度（0=无、1=偶发、2=频发），模型拟合度得到显著提升（初始-2对数似然值=348.246，最终-2对数似然值=73.620，χ²(2)=274.626，p<0.001）。随着完成测试动作数量增加，受试者报告“偶发下腰痛”或“频发下腰痛”的比值比显著下降，分别为0.34和0.17。
研究结论：五项体能测试动作的完成能力与普通职场人群下腰痛的发生与否存在显著统计学关联。通过指导受试者完成此类测试动作或可降低下腰痛的发生率，但本研究无法推断二者的因果关系。建议开展随机对照试验，针对本次选取的五项测试动作，验证基于运动的干预方案在预测和管理下腰痛方面的潜在效果。