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HEALTH Back pain linked to stress at work

Sunday 04 May 1997 23:02 BST
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Work can be a pain in the back if you are unhappy and under stress, a research study has shown. General dissatisfaction with work and a feeling of not being in control may contribute to as many as a quarter of all new cases of lower back pain in Britain, it is claimed.

The findings are based on a survey of 4,500 adults in south Manchester, which also revealed a link between back pain and depression. Up to one in six people who developed low back pain previously showed signs of depression and psychological distress.

Professor Alan Silman, who led the team at the ARC Epidemiology Unit at Manchester University, said researchers were surprised to find that physical factors like lifting and carrying were not as important in developing back pain as psychological and social factors.

The team urged employers to improve both the environment and human relations in the workplace. Their report says lower back pain affects 40 per cent of adults

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