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Related Experiment Videos

Do functional tests predict low back pain?

E P Takala1, E Viikari-Juntura

  • 1Department of Physiology, Musculoskeletal Research Unit, Finnish Institute of Occupational Health, Helsinki. esa-pekka.takala@occuphealth.fi

Spine
|August 23, 2000
PubMed
Summary

Functional tests may predict future low back pain in workers. However, the wide variation in results suggests caution when using these tests for screening or surveillance of back disorders.

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Area of Science:

  • Occupational health
  • Musculoskeletal disorders
  • Biomechanical analysis

Background:

  • Reduced functional performance is linked to back pain, but its causal role remains unclear.
  • Limited research exists on whether poor functional capacity precedes or follows pain episodes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the predictive value of physical performance tests for low back disorders in a working population.
  • To test the hypothesis that diminished functional capacity increases liability to back disorders.

Main Methods:

  • A 2-year follow-up study of 307 asymptomatic workers and 123 with prior low back pain.
  • Evaluated trunk mobility, isokinetic strength, back extension endurance, standing balance, and reaction time.
  • Confounders such as gender, workload, and age were controlled.

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Main Results:

  • Low mobility and balance predicted future back disorders in asymptomatic workers.
  • In previously affected workers, low strength, poor balance, and positive clinical signs predicted future pain.
  • Significant overlap observed in test measures across outcome groups.

Conclusions:

  • Functional tests show some association with future low back pain.
  • The variability in results raises questions about the utility of these tests for health surveillance and screening.