Occupational & public health
Low Back Pain (LBP)
Definition
Low back pain is discomfort in the posterior region of the back from the lower margin of the twelfth rib to the inferior gluteal folds, with or without radiating leg pain. It is the leading cause of disability globally: an estimated 619 million people were affected in 2020, projected to reach 843 million by 2050, with work-related ergonomic factors, obesity and smoking as key risk factors.
References
Supports definition and framing.
Supports definition and framing.
Overview
What it means
Most cases are non-specific (no identifiable structural cause). Occupational drivers include heavy lifting, awkward postures, vibration and prolonged sitting; low back pain forces more working-age people out of employment than any other chronic condition.
How it is used
In sustainability reporting it appears as a leading occupational health burden and driver of lost workdays; ergonomics programmes, manual handling controls and return-to-work schemes target it.
Why it matters
Low back pain carries enormous social and economic cost through lost productivity, disability and healthcare use, making prevention central to decent work and healthy workforce agendas.