• Jill C Slaboda, J Robert Boston, Thomas E Rudy, and Susan J Lieber.
• Department of Bioengineering, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA. jslaboda@temple.edu
• Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2008 Aug 1; 89 (8): 1542-9.

ObjectiveTo compare self-reported measures of chronic lower back pain (CLBP) patients who were assigned to 2 subgroups based on their lifting patterns performed during a repetitive lifting task.DesignCross-sectional study.SettingResearch laboratoryParticipantsCLBP subjects (n=81) and pain-free controls (n=53).InterventionsNot applicable.Main Outcome MeasuresMeasures of lifting patterns and self-reported disability, pain, and psychosocial aspects.ResultsTwo CLBP subgroups were found: 1 group that lifts similarly to control subjects (n=35) and 1 group that lifts very differently from controls (n=46). The CLBP group that lifted differently than controls reported higher pain intensity (P=.005), higher pain severity (P=.025), and lower self-efficacy (P=.013) than the CLBP group that lifted similarly to controls.ConclusionsA classification system based on lifting patterns identified 2 CLBP subgroups that were significantly different on lifting and self-reported measures, indicating the importance of physical functioning measures in classification systems.

13 keywords...

hide…