Introduction: Musculoskeletal disorders constitute one of the most common health problems in working population. It affects the quality of life for the employees in different ways and it also impacts the economy of the organizations. Employees of health institutions, are constantly facing complex tasks, with a variety of physical and emotional workloads that affect the lumbar region; all in order to provide an integral attention to users. Objective: To determine the prevalence of Occupational Lumbago in Surgical Instrumentalists and Nursing Assistants, as the basis for the design of a preventive program in a third level health institution of complexity in Barranquilla. Methodology: A quantitative, descriptive and cross-sectional study was carried out with a census to a sample of 82 workers (64 Nursing Assistants and 18 Surgical Instrumentalists) at a health institution in Barranquilla. A survey of musculoskeletal symptoms modified by the NIOSH was used for data collection, maintaining the corresponding ethical and methodological rigorousness. Results: It was found that 76.8% of the participants presented discomfort in the lower back in the last 6 months. 46,3% of the population has a body mass index in overweight and 16% in obesity. A predominance of the sedentarism 68.3% is observed. 96.3% respond positively to cargo handling within the workplace and 76.8% do not take active breaks during the working day. Discussion and conclusion: Occupational Lumbago is a major health problem in the Nursing Assistants and Surgical Instrumentalists of the institution the study was developed at. Findings establish the need of implementing epidemiological surveillance programs and physical conditioning spaces to reduce the sedentary lifestyle in workers.