Characteristic dynamic differences between healthy and low back pain subjects.

Abstract

Open retrospective study. To assess the functional capacity impairment of chronic low back pain (LBP) patients using characteristic dynamic changes. Orthopaedics and Physiotherapy departments at Tel-Aviv, Israel. Thirty-eight normal healthy volunteers and 607 chronic LBP patients were tested on a computerized 3-D lumbar dynamometer. The four major parameters measured were the maximal isometric torque (MIT), maximal velocity against 25% MIT and 50% MIT (MV25, MV50, respectively) and maximal torques in secondary axes (MST). All patients parameters were compared to the normal, healthy findings. All four parameters were found to be significantly different between healthy (or non-symptomatic) and symptomatic LBP subjects. The findings support the use of 3-D dynamometry and the four parameters mentioned to objectively classify patients with functional disability.