Balance reactions in middle-aged subjects with chronic low back pain

الملخص EN

Objective : to measure the balance reactions with force-plate stabilometry in a group of subjects with back pain and those with healthy back to determine if there is difference between them and correlate balance stability indices with pain assessment parameters (pain duration and back pain disability score) in a group of patients with back pain.

Methods : Forty middle-age subjects complaining of chronic back pain of variable causes (lumber spondyolosis, old dichotomy, chronic back strain and sacroiliac dysfunction) were included in this study (25 males and 15 females) with age between 20 and 42 years (mean32 ± 7.16).

Also thirty subjects with healthy back were included in this study with age between 20-45 (mean 32.1 ± 6.7) All patients with back pain (not less than 6 months) were assessed through careful history and examination using Oswestery back pain disability questionnaire (ODS).

Balance responses (body sway) of each subject was evaluated by using computerized force-plate stabilometry (Biodex stability system) that provides dynamic multiaxial platform with variable degrees of eight instability levels ranging from least stability level to most stability level.

Results: the mean of anteroposterior (A-P) and mediolateral (M-L) stability indices for all dynamic positions in subjects with chronic LBP were greater than A-P and M-L stability indices in subjects with healthy back in the same positions with a statistic significant difference (p < 0.05).

There was a significant positive correlation between both pain duration and ODS and A-P stability index and a non-significant negative correlation between them and M-L stability index.

Conclusion : dynamic balance is disturbed in patients with chronic back pain as compared to normal subjects in different dynamic balance positions especially in the A-P direction.

The least stable position e.g.

standing on one foot and with turning head and closed eye significantly increased the A-P stability index in patients with LBP than in normal subjects.