Which is the safest strategy to pick up a light load according to graduates / students in physiotherapy and general practitioners in training?

Objectives: This is the first research to evaluate (i) which lifting techniques are safest strategy to pick up a light load (ii) back pain beliefs Method: Data was collected via an electronic survey. Participants were asked to select the safest lifting posture from eight options in three situations: for their own back, patients with history of LBP and chronic LBP. Back beliefs were collected via the Back-PAQ-FR-10. Relationships between the number of selected pictures and the Back-PAQ score were investigated. Results: 1005 participants completed the survey. The number of selected pictures average on the three questions were significantly lower for physiotherapists comparatively to the others groups. Pictures describing “squat strategy” were less selected than postures with straight legs and rounded back. Physiotherapists’ scores significantly higher on the Back-PAQ-Fr-10 across all six domains indicating less negative back beliefs. The belief to keep active with back pain was common among all groups. Correlation analysis indicated moderate significant negative correlations between the Back-PAQ score and the number of selected pictures in physiotherapist groups and weaker or no correlation for med’s groups. Conclusion: Our sample perceive straight back lifting position and “squat strategies” safest than more rounded one. Most physiotherapists also belief that no postures are harmful whatever the category of patients. Med’s groups have more negative back beliefs