Abstract
Background and Aims: Low back pain (LBP) is common among health care professionals (HCPs). The aim of this study was to analyze the prevalence and selected risk factors of LBP among HCPs in different medical institutions in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.

Methods: Using convenience sampling, 160 subjects (28 physical therapists, 52 physicians, and 80 nurses) were included in this study. Cornell Musculoskeletal Discomfort Questionnaire (CMDQ) and self-assessment back pain information sheet were administered. Descriptive analysis was used to study the general characteristics of the participants. The relationship between LBP and selected risk factors were tested using Chi-square and ANOVA. Data was analyzed using SPSS ver. 20.0.

Results: The one-week prevalence of LBP was found 57% among nurses, 50% among physicians and 36% among physical therapists. Many risk factors were found to have significant relationship with LBP (p<0.05) such as occupation, severity of pain, gender, education status, activities of daily living, limitation of activities in lifting and prolonged standing. The results also revealed a statistically significant difference among nurses, physicians, and physical therapists with respect to pain scale (p = 0.002). In particular, the pain level was higher in nurses (M= 4.55) than in physicians (M= 3.31). No significant differences were found between physical therapists (M= 3.75) and nurses or physicians with respect to mean score of pain scale.

Conclusions: Nurses are found with more prevalence rate of LBP than physicians and physical therapists. This might be due to adoption of poor ergonomics and it requires preventive and appropriate treatment measures to improve their quality of life and work productivity.

Key words: Low back pain, Health care professionals, Occupational risk, Prevalence, Saudi Arabia