Do Physical Activities Trigger Flare-ups During an Acute Low Back Pain Episode?: A Longitudinal Case-Crossover
Pradeep Suri1,2,3,4, James Rainville3,4, Evelien de Schepper5
1Seattle Epidemiologic Research and Information Center (ERIC) and Division of Rehabilitation Care Services, VA Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, WA.
Spine
|July 13, 2017
Summary
Prolonged sitting and stress/depression can trigger acute low back pain (LBP) flare-ups. Physical therapy (PT) may help prevent these painful episodes, offering insights for LBP management.
Area of Science:
- Pain Management
- Musculoskeletal Health
- Epidemiology of Low Back Pain
Background:
- Acute low back pain (LBP) flare-ups are common and can be debilitating.
- Evidence-based estimates for transient risks of LBP flare-ups associated with specific physical activities are lacking.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if specific physical activities trigger pain flare-ups in individuals with acute low back pain (LBP).
- To investigate the transient risk of LBP flare-ups associated with various exposures.
Main Methods:
- A prospective, longitudinal case-crossover study design was employed.
- Participants with acute LBP completed serial, internet-based assessments over 6 weeks.
- Conditional logistic regression was used to calculate odds ratios for associations between exposures and LBP flare-ups.
Main Results:
- Prolonged sitting (>6 hours) was significantly associated with LBP flare-ups (OR 4.4).
- Stress or depression also significantly increased the risk of LBP flare-ups (OR 2.5).
- Physical therapy (PT) was found to deter LBP flare-ups (OR 0.4).
Conclusions:
- Prolonged sitting and psychological distress (stress/depression) are identified triggers for acute LBP flare-ups.
- Physical therapy demonstrates a protective effect, potentially deterring LBP flare-ups.
- Findings provide valuable insights for managing and preventing acute LBP exacerbations.
