| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2625000 | Manual Therapy | 2015 | 5 Pages |
•We measured lumbar lordosis during normal standing in back-healthy participants.•Participants then stood for 2 h while rating their LBP intensity throughout.•Twenty four of 57 participants developed LBP during standing.•People who developed LBP had larger lumbar lordosis than people who did not.•Baseline lumbar lordosis was related to LBP intensity in people who developed LBP.
BackgroundAn induced-pain paradigm has been used in back-healthy people to understand risk factors for developing low back pain during prolonged standing.ObjectivesThe purposes of this study were to (1) compare baseline lumbar lordosis in back-healthy participants who do (Pain Developers) and do not (Non-Pain Developers) develop low back pain during 2 h of standing, and (2) examine the relationship between lumbar lordosis and low back pain intensity.DesignCross-sectional.MethodFirst, participants stood while positions of markers placed superficial to the lumbar vertebrae were recorded using a motion capture system. Following collection of marker positions, participants stood for 2 h while performing light work tasks. At baseline and every 15 min during standing, participants rated their low back pain intensity on a visual analog scale. Lumbar lordosis was calculated using marker positions collected prior to the 2 h standing period. Lumbar lordosis was compared between pain developers and non-pain developers. In pain developers, the relationship between lumbar lordosis and maximum pain was examined.Results/findingsThere were 24 (42%) pain developers and 33 (58%) non-pain developers. Lumbar lordosis was significantly larger in pain developers compared to non-pain developers (Mean difference = 4.4°; 95% Confidence Interval = 0.9° to 7.8°, Cohen's d = 0.7). The correlation coefficient between lumbar lordosis and maximum pain was 0.46 (P = 0.02).ConclusionThe results suggest that standing in more lumbar lordosis may be a risk factor for low back pain development during prolonged periods of standing. Identifying risk factors for low back pain development can inform preventative and early intervention strategies.
