AN ASSESSMENT OF LOWER BACK PAIN IN YOUNG-ADULTS - IMPLICATIONS FOR COLLEGE HEALTH-EDUCATION

A convenience sample of 243 undergraduates completed a 36-item questio nnaire on their knowledge about back care and exercise patterns before they attended lectures and a workshop on back mechanics. At the works hop, the students were individually evaluated for posture, hamstring f lexibility, hip flexor flexibility, back and abdominal strength, and l ifting technique. Twenty-nine percent of the students reported that th ey experienced no back pain; 71% experienced lower back pain 1 to 5 da ys a week. The majority were neglectful of their posture, lifting and carrying techniques, and scored fair-to-poor on the hamstring flexibil ity test, possibly foreshadowing back problems in later life. The majo rity of respondents were unsure of what exercises to do for back care. Within the subgroup of students who claimed they were knowledgeable a bout exercise, more than 50% were performing ineffective and potential ly harmful exercises. The results underscored the potential worth of h ealth education on back care offered through didactic instruction and experiential workshops.