Back Pain Exercise Intervention for Low Back Pain Management Among Fishing Community Workers: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study with Pre–Post Evaluation

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a major occupational health problem among informal sector workers, particularly fishing community members who perform repetitive and physically demanding tasks with limited ergonomic support. In Indonesia, coastal fishing communities often have inadequate access to occupational health services Objective: To assess the prevalence and severity of LBP among fishing community workers in Sukolilo Baru, Bulak, Surabaya, and evaluate the effect of a structured Back Pain Exercise (BPE) intervention combined with health education on pain intensity. Methods: A community-based cross-sectional study with a pre–post intervention evaluation was conducted among 35 workers recruited through purposive sampling following STROBE and TIDieR guidelines. The intervention consisted of a structured health education session and a supervised BPE programme, with pain intensity measured using the Numeric Pain Rating Scale (NPRS 0–10). Results: LBP prevalence was 91.4% (n = 32), with 62.5% reporting moderate pain and 37.5% reporting mild pain. Following the intervention, all LBP-positive participants demonstrated a reduction in pain intensity (median NPRS decreased from 5.0 to 3.0; p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression identified work duration ?8 hours/day (aOR 4.82; 95% CI: 1.94–11.98; p = 0.001), frequent heavy lifting (aOR 3.91; 95% CI: 1.42–10.74; p = 0.008), and non-ergonomic posture (aOR 3.44; 95% CI: 1.21–9.77; p = 0.020) Conclusion: BPE combined with structured health education is a feasible and effective non-pharmacological approach for reducing LBP severity in coastal informal work settings. Community-based occupational health programmes targeting ergonomic risk factors should be integrated into primary healthcare networks for vulnerable maritime workers.