The U.S. Navy Healthy Back Program: Effect on Back Knowledge among Recruits

To address the high prevalence and costs associated with low back pain, U.S. Navy physical therapists currently provide back injury prevention education to requesting commands in the form of the Healthy Back Program. Although the content of the Healthy Back Program has face validity, no explicit evaluation of its effectiveness has been conducted. Because of the need to develop effective health interventions, a formal study is needed. The primary purposes of the present study are to: (a) present findings examining the immediate effect of the Healthy Back Program in changing knowledge about back injury prevention, and (b) provide a baseline assessment of back problems among incoming recruits. Correlates of back pain also are examined to suggest factors that may be amenable to intervention. Intervention recruits (n=1,772) received the Healthy Back Program brief, which is a slide presentation that focuses largely on information about back injury and prevention techniques. Immediately following the presentation, intervention subjects completed a short questionnaire assessing their history of back problems, demographic and health information, back knowledge, and nutrition knowledge. Control subjects (n=1,658) completed identical questionnaires but received no presentation. Intervention recruits had a significantly higher back knowledge score (67% correct) than controls (50% correct); nutrition knowledge differences were minimal (52% vs. 53% correct). About 41% of all recruits had ever experienced a back problem, 27% reported at least one back problem within the past year, and 11% reported back pain during recruit training. Liftlng, sports participation, and bending were reported as the leading causes of previous back problems. Although better self-reported health and fitness measures were associated with fewer low back problems, other correlates of back pain reported elsewhere (e.g., smoking, overweight) were not found.