Background: Low back pain is one of the most common complaints leading to disability and work absence. This study was performed to determine the rate and contributing factors of return to work in postoperative phase after lumbar discectomy. Methods: This cohort study was done among 142 patients attending to orthopedics spine clinic of a teaching hospital during 2016. Initially, the demographic, occupational characteristics and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were fulfilled, and the patients were followed with regard to time off work return and type of the job after surgery. Results: 113 participants (79.5%) had returned to work till three months. male gender, higher literacy, non-manual job, less physical activity, non-smoking, formal work agreement, lower working hours and higher income were associated to return to previous work. Also, shorter preoperative duration of lower back pain, longer hospital stay, lower severity of lower back pain, less ODI score, and poor perceived prognosis of return to work were associated to return to previous work. Conclusions: Return to work after discectomy is seen in more than two-thirds of patients and is related to factors such as pain intensity and body mass index. However, return to previous versus the modified job is a multi-factorial issue.

Introduction to Occupational Health Hazards

Micronucleus, Nucleoplasmic Bridge, and Nuclear Budding in Peripheral Blood Cells of Workers Exposed to Low Level Benzene