Prevalence and Disability of Low Back Pain Among Physical Therapists in Lahore: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Background: Low back pain is a frequent occupational musculoskeletal complaint among physical therapists because clinical practice often involves bending, lifting, trunk rotation, prolonged standing, manual therapy, and patient handling. Objective: To determine the prevalence of low back pain, assess disability level, and examine associations with selected demographic and occupational factors among physical therapists in Lahore. Methods: An analytical cross-sectional study was conducted among 50 physical therapists from government, private hospital, and clinical settings in Lahore using purposive sampling. Data were collected through a self-administered questionnaire and the Oswestry Low Back Pain Disability Questionnaire. Demographic and occupational variables included gender, age, smoking status, working hours, work experience, and treatment method. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 21, and associations were assessed using the Chi-square test at p<0.05. Results: The prevalence of low back pain was 30.0% (15/50; 95% CI: 19.1–43.8). Among affected participants, 80.0% had minimal disability and 20.0% had moderate disability. No statistically significant association was found between low back pain and gender, age, work experience, working hours, smoking status, or treatment method. Conclusion: Low back pain was prevalent among physical therapists in Lahore, although most affected participants had minimal disability. Larger studies are recommended to confirm occupational and lifestyle-related risk patterns.