Prevalence of Low-Back Pain among Police Officers in Ife-Ijesa Senatorial District, Osun State, Nigeria

Low-back pain (LBP), commonly described as pain and discomfort localized below the costal margin and above the inferior gluteal folds is a common health concern among the military and paramilitary, often attributed to the high level of physical exertions that typifies their duties. The police job is equally stressful and physically demanding like the military and paramilitary outfits. Studies abound on the prevalence of musculoskeletal disorders among the military and paramilitary, however, there are few studies delineating this problem among members of the police force. This study investigated the prevalence of LBP among personnel of the police force in the Ife-Ijesa Senatorial District of Osun State, Nigeria. The study employed a descriptive survey research design. Sample comprised of 330 police officers conveniently selected from nine Divisions and two Area Commands in the study area. A structured questionnaire titled “Prevalence of Low-Back Pain and Risk Factors Questionnaire†(PLPRFQ). The instrument surveyed socio-demographic characteristics, incidence and prevalence of LBP, lifestyle and habits of police officers and what they perceived as contributors to LBP. The findings revealed a high prevalence of LBP (63.33%) among the police officers sampled. The results also revealed a strong association between policing and LBP, with 96.97% claiming they never had low-back pain before joining the force. Majority of police officers in the study (73.33%) claimed to have been having low-back pain for an upward of one year. The study revealed that police officers (63.90%) perceived job schedules such as desk duties (81.80%), mounting/dismounting a truck (80.90%) as key contributors to the incidence of low-back pain. The study found significant associations between LBP and job schedule (χ2 = 137.93, p < 0.05). The study concluded that low-back pain is prevalent among police officers and that job schedule is perceived as a significant contributor to its incidence. Improving workplace ergonomics and physical fitness training among the police could improve the overall well-being and productivity of personnel of the police force.