• Piotr K Sadowski, Simone Battista, Gaia Leuzzi, Lucia G Sansone, and Marco Testa.
• Department of Neurosciences, Rehabilitation, Ophthalmology, Genetics, Maternal and Child Health, University of Genoa, Campus of Savona, Savona, Italy.
• Spine. 2022 Nov 15; 47 (22): 159916061599-1606.

Study DesignA cross-sectional study based on an online questionnaire.ObjectiveThe aim was to investigate the prevalence and intensity of low back pain (LBP) in people with lower limb amputation (LLA) and to analyze the association factors that can influence the genesis of LBP.Summary Of Background DataIt is still unclear whether LBP is more prevalent in the amputated population than in its nonamputated counterpart. Given the multifactorial nature of LBP, it is necessary to explore possible factors that can influence its presence and intensity, to build a solid background to define a better rehabilitation pathway for the management of these people.MethodsThe online questionnaire included six sections: informed consent of the study, demographic information, comorbid conditions, history of LLA, history of LBP, and acceptance of the amputation.ResultsBetween March and June 2021, 239 participants [mean age (SD): 49.2 (11.5); female 11%] completed the survey (response rate: 32%). From the results of this study, LBP in LLA showed a prevalence of 82% postamputation and 70% in the last year. A logistic regression with a backward method showed that participants who had problems in the not affected leg presented 1.58 (95% confidence interval: 0.70; 2.45) times higher odds to have LBP after the amputation.ConclusionThis study shows that the prevalence of LBP in lower limb amputees appears to be higher than in the general population, with similar levels of pain intensity and frequency. The highest percentage of people with a sedentary lifestyle not practicing any kind of sports emphasizes the importance of educating this population on the importance of physical activity. New strategies to invest in the education of this population in terms of physical activity are needed.Level Of EvidenceLevel 4.Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

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