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Back strength cannot be predicted accurately from anthropometric measures in subjects with and without chronic low
Christian Larivière1, Denis Gravel, Denis Gagnon
1Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail, 505, boul. De Maisonneuve Ouest, Montreal, Que., Canada H3A 3C2. lariviere.christian@irsst.qc.ca
Objectives:
(1) To develop a multiple regression equation using anthropometric measurements to predict back strength and (2) to estimate the effect of practice on the back strength results and back strength predictions.
Design:
Comparative study with repeated measures performed on three days.
Background:
The assessment of back muscle relative endurance (% maximal strength) requires the measurement of maximal back strength which is problematic with low back pain patients.
Methods:
The back strength (L5/S1 static extension moment), age and 26 anthropometric parameters were obtained from 83 male volunteers [42 healthy subjects and 41 chronic low back pain patients] aged between 20 and 60 years. A subsample of 20 healthy subjects and 20 patients were assessed through three days of testing to evaluate the variations of back strength with practice.
Results:
The final regression model (n=42 healthy subjects) explained 39% of the variance in back strength. Back strength increased with practice (Day1
Conclusions:
Back strength cannot be predicted from simple anthropometric measures without important errors. The decrease of the error of prediction obtained for the patient group is indicative of a decreasing influence of psychological factors that are independent of motor learning because the effect of motor learning would have occurred on both groups if present.
Relevance:
The prediction of back strength would be useful to determine (1) the relative force level of a given exercise or (2) the preinjury back strength. Unfortunately, anthropometric measurements are not enough good predictors of back strength.