• Päivi Kolu, Kari Tokola, Markku Kankaanpää, and Jaana Suni.
• *UKK Institute for Health Promotion Research; Tampere, Finland †School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere; Tampere, Finland ‡Tampere University Hospital, Department of Physical and Rehabilitation Medicine; Tampere, Finland.
• Spine. 2016 Oct 6.

Study DesignA cross-sectional study, part of a randomized controlled trial.ObjectiveTo evaluate the association of physical activity, cardiorespiratory fitness, and neuromuscular fitness with direct health-care costs and sickness-related absence among nursing personnel with nonspecific low back pain.Summary Of Background DataLow back pain creates a huge economic burden due to increased sick leave and use of health-care services.MethodsFemale nursing personnel with nonspecific low back pain were included (n = 219). Physical activity was assessed with accelerometry and a questionnaire. In addition, measurements of cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness were conducted. Direct costs and sickness-related absence for a six-month period were collected retrospectively by questionnaire. Health-care utilization and absence from work were analyzed with a general linear model.ResultsThe mean total costs were 80.5% lower among women who met physical activity recommendations than inactive women. Those with a higher mean daily intensity level of 10-minute activity sessions showed lower total costs than women in the lowest tertile (middle: 64.0% of the lowest; highest: 54.3% of the lowest). Women with good cardiorespiratory fitness (the highest tertile) as measured with the six-minute-walk test (based on walking distance) had 77.0% lower total costs when compared to the lowest tertile. Women in the highest third for the modified push-up test had 84.0% lower total costs than those with the poorest results (the bottom tertile).ConclusionsHigh cardiorespiratory and muscular fitness and meeting physical activity recommendations for aerobic and muscular fitness were strongly associated with lower total costs among nursing personnel with pain related disorders of recurrent non-specific low back pain (NSLBP). Actions to increase physical activity and muscle conditioning may significantly save on health-care costs and decrease sick-leave costs due to low back pain.

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