Spinal Loading and Immune Responses to Personality and Mental Load During Repetitive Lifting - Evidence for a New Low Back Pain Injury Model

Abstract

Objective. To demonstrate an immune response to multiple low back pain risk factors as well as to interactions between risk factors. Background. Biomechanical, individual and psychosocial risk factors for low back pain have been identified. However our understanding of how these risk factors act and interact to contribute to the etiology of low back pain is still poorly understood. Methods. This study quantified the immune and spinal load responses of twenty subjects split evenly between the sensor and intuitor personality types when they were exposed to repetitive lifting tasks with a high and low mental workload component. Results. Spinal loads and immune responses were altered in response to mental load, personality and the combination of mental load and personality. Some immune responses were still significantly different the day following exposure. Conclusions. An immune inflammatory response to low back pain risk factors is present following exposure for up to 20 hours. This suggests a potential cumulative effect that may influence the development of low back pain.