Low-Back Pain and Knee Position-Related Differences on Postural Control Measures During a One-Legged Stance in...

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics
• Sports Medicine
• Motor Control

Background:

• Chronic low-back pain (CLBP) in athletes is often linked to impaired postural balance and control during athletic activities.
• Understanding these deficits is crucial for injury prevention and rehabilitation strategies in sports.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare postural control between athletes with and without CLBP during single-leg stance tasks.
• To establish center of pressure (COP) cutoff values for distinguishing between these groups.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 56 male athletes (28 with CLBP, 28 without).
• Postural control was assessed using one-legged stance with knee extension and 30° flexion on a force platform.
• Center of pressure (COP) parameters (area, sway velocity, displacement) were analyzed using receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve analysis.

Main Results:

• Athletes with CLBP demonstrated significantly poorer postural control in both tested tasks (P < .01).
• The 30° knee flexion task revealed greater postural instability compared to knee extension (d = 0.80).
• Specific COP cutoff values were identified for both tasks, demonstrating high sensitivity and specificity (AUC = 0.88 and 0.80) for group discrimination.

Conclusions:

• Athletes experiencing CLBP exhibit diminished postural control compared to their pain-free counterparts.
• Identified COP cutoff values effectively differentiate athletes with and without CLBP, aiding in clinical assessment.