Strength, Mobility, Their Changes, and Pain Reduction in Active Functional Restoration for Chronic Low Back Disorders.

Year: 1996  Country: Finland   Study Population: N=143

Taimela S, Härkäpää K. Strength, Mobility, Their Changes, and Pain Reduction in Active Functional Restoration for Chronic Low Back Disorders. Journal of Spinal Disorders 1996;9(4):306-312.

Objective

To examine the association between subjective experience in pain reduction and objectively measured physical functioning (strength and mobility) in chronic low back pain patients.

Methods

12-week multidimensional back treatment program including 24 treatment visits with device training for lumbar/thoracic flexion, extension, lateral flexion and rotation as well as cervical extension and lateral flexion. 

Main outcomes: pain, isometric strength and mobility (110, 120, 130, 150). 

Outcome

79% of the participants reported subjective decrease in pain and simultaneous increases in isometric strength and mobility were detected in ca. 80% of participants. The reduction of pain and improvement in function most often occurred in same participants. However, the correlation between these parameters were low (r < 0.22). The results indicate that the subjective pain reduction associates with improvements per se in physical function, but not with the magnitude of the improvements.