Diagnostic Value of Trunk Flexion-extension Testing in Old Chronic Low Back Pain Patients

Overview

Journal Eur Spine J

Specialty Orthopedics

Date 2016 Sep 8

PMID 27600250

Citations 4

Authors

Thomas Kienbacher

Elisabeth Fehrmann

Richard Habenicht

Christian Oeffel

Josef Kollmitzer

Patrick Mair

Gerold Ebenbichler

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Purpose: Dynamic trunk flexion-extension testing has been proven to objectively diagnose low back pain in persons under the age of 60 years but older persons have difficulty complying with standardized movement velocity.

Methods: 190 patients and 71 matched healthy volunteers (18-90 years of age) performed modified testing by holding static positions at standing, half, and full trunk flexion.

Results: Lumbar extensor muscle activity in isometric positions was significantly higher in patients with higher activity in the oldest (60-90 years) and the middle-aged (40-59 years) but not in the youngest (18-39 years) subgroups compared to normal. There were no differences in gross trunk range of motion, half flexion relaxation ratio, proprioception, muscle activity differences between positions, and fear-avoidance behavior. The diagnostic accuracy as expressed by the area under the curve was fair (0.74).

Conclusions: Lumbar extensor muscle activity demonstrated moderate to good diagnostic value in old patients.

Citing Articles

Gender-based Variations in Trunk Motion and Isometric Strength in Young Adults with Low Back Pain: A Prospective Case-control Study.

Jain S, Shetty G, Munje P, Bhan A, Linjhara S, Ram C Rev Bras Ortop (Sao Paulo). 2022; 57(3):392-401.

PMID: 35785131 PMC: 9246515. DOI: 10.1055/s-0041-1736199.

Normative Reference Values for Trunk Range of Motion and Isometric Muscle Strength in Asymptomatic Young Indian Adults.

Shetty G, Jain S, Munje P, Bhan A, Ram C Indian J Orthop. 2022; 56(1):49-57.

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Dynamics of Changes in Isometric Strength and Muscle Imbalance in the Treatment of Women with Low back Pain.

Wilczynski J, Kasprzak A Biomed Res Int. 2020; 2020:6139535.

PMID: 32420354 PMC: 7201447. DOI: 10.1155/2020/6139535.

Diagnosis of painful cemented vertebrae from failed vertebroplasty: modified dynamic radiographs play an important role.

Chen Y, Chen H, Chen H, Lin R, Hsu H Eur Spine J. 2017; 26(7):1953-1960.

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