INCIDENCE, SEX AND AGE DIFFERENCES OF LUMBAR STRAIN AMONG LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS IN IBADAN: EFFECTS OF AN EIGHT WEEK STATIC-STRETCHING AND VIBRATION-THERAPY EXERCISE PROGRAM

Abstract

Lumbar strain is a prevalent musculoskeletal issue among law enforcement officers due
to the physically demanding nature of their work, which often involves prolonged
standing, repetitive movements, sudden exertion, and use of heavy protective gear. This
study therefore examined incidence, sex and age differences in lumbar strain among law
enforcement officers in Ibadan: effects of an eight-week static-stretching and vibration
therapy exercise program. The populations for this study included male and female of all
federal government law enforcement officers in Ibadan, with lumber strain. Ninety law
enforcement officers were sampled using randomized pre-test post-test control group
experimental research design of 3x2x2 factorial matrixes. Data were analysed using
Analysis of Co-variance (ANCOVA) at 0.05 significance level. Result revealed that,
participants with severed lumber strain are in the majority among law enforcement
Officers (87.8%). The study also revealed that there was no significant main effect of
treatment and gender on low back pain (F(2,83) = 0.011, p<0.05, η2 = 0.00) of law
enforcement Personnel in Ibadan. Estimated marginal means indicated slightly higher
posttest mean score (23.391) for female than their male (23.253) counterpart. Finally,
Result indicated that there was a significant interaction of treatment, gender and age on
low back pain (F(6,84) = 6.723, p<0.05, η2 = 0.170) of law enforcement Officers in
Ibadan. Conclusively, incidence of severed level of lumber strain were prevalent among
law enforcement officers in Ibadan. The study recommends that, regular health
assessments should be instituted for law enforcement officers, especially considering the
high incidence rate observed