The self-reported aggravating activities of people with chronic non-specific low back pain do not involve consistent directions of spinal movement: an observational study

Question

Do the self-reported aggravating activities of people with chronic non-specific low back pain move the spine in a consistent direction?

Design

Cross-sectional observational study.

Participants

240 people with chronic non-specific low back pain.

Outcome measure

The self-reported aggravating activities from the Patient Specific Functional Scale were classified as flexion, extension or unilateral according to the direction of lumbar spine movement. Participants were described as demonstrating a directional pattern if all three self-reported aggravating activities moved the spine in the same direction.

Results

Of the 148 participants with three classifiable aggravating activities, 47 (32%) demonstrated a directional pattern with 46 (98%) demonstrating a flexion pattern and 1 (2%) an extension pattern. The observed incidence of a directional pattern in the three self-reported aggravating activities of the 148 participants (32%) was no different from what would have been expected by chance. There were no clinical or demographic differences between those who demonstrated a directional pattern and those who did not.

Conclusion

There is no evidence for the existence of a consistent direction of spinal movement during the self-reported aggravating activities of people with chronic non-specific low back pain.