You might be interested in a study that was conducted by the Royal Netherlands (Dutch) Army. Even though it was restricted to army soldiers, the findings can apply to other groups that employ workers involved in strenuous jobs. This could include police officers, fire fighters, and construction workers. Anyone in an occupation that involves pushing, pulling, bending, and lifting may benefit from this information.
The results of this study support findings from previous studies showing that exercise of any kind is helpful in recovering from an acute episode of LBP. Some subgroups of patients do need a specific exercise program. But to prevent acute LBP from turning into a chronic problem, the key is to get active and stay active during the recovery process.
This information is especially helpful in your setting. Chronic back pain can reduce worker productivity, run up the cost of health care, and negatively affect the injured worker’s quality of life. Disability from chronic low back pain means higher costs in terms of disability pensions and replacement costs.
And the good news is that even 10-minutes a day devoted to strength-training can make a difference. Many police and firefighter programs have gone to providing exercise equipment on site. This makes it possible for the officers to physically train for the job while on the job. It may cost a few thousand dollars to get a room with some equipment set up, but it will save money and backs in the long-run. It’s a win-win situation.