[Results of a new controlled survey of the spine of tractor operators].

In order to appreciate the consequence of tractor driving on the incidence of low back pain 72 tractorists (mean age: 35,1 +/- 6,3; mean first year driving (18,6 +/- 4,8), mean duration of driving (15,2 +/- 4,7) were compared to 62 non tractor driving farm workers (mean age: 36,5 +/- 6,5). Subjects were studied during a systematic yearly examination at the regional office for medical prevention. They were not informed of the purpose of the study. All subjects were submitted to a 45 items questionnaire made by one rheumatologist and to a standard physical examination of the dorsal and lumbar spine by another rheumatologist. No X-rays examination were performed during this enquiry. Results were as follows: non specific lowback pain was a frequent complaint in both groups, but was found significantly more frequent in non tractorists (p less than 0,01). Discrimination of non specific low back pain by duration of pain episodes (greater than or equal to 3 months) gave of lower frequency of the symptom which was found similar in both groups. Non tractorists complained more frequently of lumbago and sciatica (p less than 0,05). Identical abnormal physical examination were found in tractorists and non tractorists. Professional consequence were infrequent and not different between tractorists and non tractorists. No correlation were found between results of questionnaire, physical examination and mean duration of tractor driving.