Low back pain among nurses in Italy: a review.

Summary: Low back pain is a deeply felt problem among the world's population, and it causes distress for health care workers, especially in nurses. Therefore, it is important to investigate the incidence of low back pain in Italian nurses. Methods. A search has been conducted on the main international databases, only studies conducted in Italian nurse have been considered. Results. Results are various: 13.7% - 20% of annual incidence and 17% - 63.7% of prevalence; working night shifts, insufficient training, frequent patient handling, lack of devices, work department, obesity, age, work-related stress and no physical activity represent a greater risk to incur in low back pain. Conclusions. There is a need to improve devices, training and lifestyle to reduce chronic situations.