• Anne Lovise Nordstoga, Ingebrigt Meisingset, Ottar Vasseljen, Nilsen Tom I L TIL Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; Cl, and Monica Unsgaard-Tøndel.
• Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway. Electronic address: anne.l.nordstoga@ntnu.no.
• Musculoskelet Sci Pract. 2019 Jun 1; 41: 49-54.

BackgroundImpaired lumbar movement has cross-sectionally been associated with low back pain (LBP); however, the consequence of impaired movement on disability and pain in persons with LBP is poorly understood. Furthermore, fear-avoidance beliefs (FAB) may influence spinal movement, but the relation between fear-avoidance and kinematics is unclear.ObjectivesTo investigate the longitudinal associations of kinematics and FAB with disability, work ability and pain in patients with LBP. Further, to explore associations between FAB and kinematics.DesignProspective observational study.MethodKinematic measures were performed on 44 persons with LBP at baseline, three and nine months. Motion sensors identified range-of-motion and velocity during a spinal flexion/extension. FAB, disability, work ability and pain were reported at all time points using questionnaires.ResultsIncreased range-of-motion was weakly associated with less disability (-0.14 points, 95% CI -0.22 to -0.06). Velocity was not associated with disability, work ability or pain. Higher FAB of physical activity were associated with more disability (1.50 points, 95% CI 0.51 to 2.49) and pain (0.37 points, 95% CI 0.11 to 0.62). Higher work-related FAB was associated with lower work ability (-0.37 points, 95% CI -0.68 to -0.05). Moreover, higher FAB showed weak associations with lower velocity in the initial movement phase (-3.3°/s, 95% CI -6.1 to -0.5).ConclusionsOf the kinematic measures, only range-of-motion was related to disability. Higher FAB was weakly associated with all self-reported outcomes and with lower velocity only at the initial flexion phase. However, the magnitude of these associations suggest marginal clinical importance.Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

23 keywords...

hide…