Reliability of the vertical spinal creep response measured in sitting (asymptomatic and low-back pain subjects)

Vertical spinal creep (or change in stature) has been used as an index of spinal loading, yet reliability of the testing protocol has not been fully examined. This study investigated the reliability of a vertical spinal creep response in 10 asymptomatic and five low-back pain subjects. Each subject performed the 25-min testing protocol, which consisted of three phases (5-min preload, 10-min loaded and 10-min unloaded), at the same time on two separate days. Good reliabilities in vertical spinal creep response between two days of testing were demonstrated for both asymptomatic and low-back pain subjects.