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Physical performance tests for people with spinal pain--sensitivity to change
Therese Ljungquist1, Ake Nygren, Irene Jensen
1Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Section for Personal Injury Prevention, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden. Therese.Ljungquist@kirurgi.ki.se
Disability and Rehabilitation
|July 10, 2003
Summary
Physical performance tests show moderate sensitivity to change in individuals with spinal pain over six months. Gait, stair-climbing, and PILE tests are most responsive, aiding in assessing functional improvements.
Area of Science:
- Rehabilitation Science
- Clinical Assessment
- Pain Management
Background:
- Spinal pain significantly impacts daily activities and functional capacity.
- Accurate assessment of physical impairments is crucial for effective rehabilitation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the sensitivity to change of six physical performance tests.
- To identify tests effective in assessing spinal pain-related impairments and activity limitations.
Main Methods:
- Eighty men and 106 women with chronic spinal pain underwent physical performance tests.
- Tests included gait, stair-climbing, and lifting (PILE) assessments at baseline, 5 weeks, and 6 months.
- Sensitivity to change was determined by correlating physical performance changes with self-rated improvements.
Main Results:
- The gait test with burden, stair-climbing test, and PILE cervical test demonstrated sensitivity to change.
- Only the PILE cervical test met criteria for clinically important change.
- Moderate to high effect sizes were observed across all tests, with greater improvement in less fit individuals.
Conclusions:
- Physical performance tests exhibit moderate sensitivity to change over six months in spinal pain patients.
- Gait, stair-climbing, and PILE tests are recommended for inclusion in an 'assessment instrument bank' for physiotherapists.
- These tests, alongside other valid measures, can aid in evaluating individuals with spinal pain.