Movement control tests of the low back; evaluation of the difference between patients with low back pain and healthy controls

2008

Movement Control Tests for Low Back Pain

Sample size: 210 publication Evidence: high

Author Information

Author(s): Luomajoki Hannu, Kool Jan, de Bruin Eling D, Airaksinen Olavi

Primary Institution: Physiotherapie Reinach, University of Kuopio, ETH Zurich, University Hospital of Kuopio

Is there a difference in movement control between patients with low back pain and healthy controls?

Patients with low back pain have significantly poorer movement control compared to healthy individuals.

Patients with low back pain had an average of 2.21 positive tests compared to 0.75 in healthy controls.
The effect size for the difference was large at d = 1.18.
Significant differences were found between acute and chronic pain groups.

This study shows that people with low back pain have a harder time controlling their back movements than those who don't have back pain.

A case control study with 210 subjects tested on six movement control tests.

Potential bias due to assessors being aware of the subjects' group status.

The study lacked a gold standard for movement control and assessors were not blinded to group status.

108 patients with non-specific low back pain and 102 healthy controls, comparable in age and gender.

p<0.001

95%CI: 1.94–2.48 for patients, 95%CI: 0.55–0.95 for controls

p<0.001

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