Low back pain in car drivers: A review of studies published 1975 to 2005

This review investigates whether there is evidence of an association between car driving and low back pain, and evidence that whole-body vibration contributes to low back pain in car drivers. The evidence of an association between various physical, psychosocial and individual factors and low back pain in car drivers was also investigated. From 23 epidemiological studies of low back problems in groups that reported car driving, nine studies fulfilled simple criteria for detailed review: four cross-sectional studies, three case-control studies and two longitudinal studies. The definition of low back pain was often unclear and, mostly, the physiological mechanisms causing low back pain were not considered. Eight of the nine studies concluded that there was an increase in low back pain among car drivers but there was little consideration of the influence of the many physical factors, individual factors and psychosocial factors that might be associated with an increase in low back pain. Consequently, there is insufficient evidence to form a conclusion on whether whole-body vibration, postural stressors or other factors, specific or not specific to driving, are common causes of low back problems in car drivers. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.