Effects of an exercise program on sick leave due to back pain.

The purposes of this study were to evaluate the effect of a weekly exercise program on short-term sick leave (less than 50 days) attributable to back pain and to determine whether changes in absenteeism were related to changes in cardiovascular fitness. Subjects were randomly assigned to an exercise group (n = 58) and a control group (n = 53). Sick leave attributable to back pain was determined in the intervention period of 1 1/2 years and a comparable 1 1/2-year period prior to the study. In the exercise group, the number of episodes of back pain and the number of sick-leave days attributable to back pain in the intervention period decreased by over 50%. Absenteeism attributable to back pain increased in the control group. The decrease in sick leave in the exercise group was not accompanied by any change in cardiovascular fitness. Suggestions for establishing exercise programs are given.