Relationship Between Lower Extremity Limb Alignment with Postural Balance and Physical Performance in Chronic Low...

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between lower extremity alignment, postural control, and physical performance in patients with chronic low back pain.

Sixty patients with chronic low back pain, aged between 18 to 65 years, were included in the study. Alignment of the lower extremities of patients was evaluated as mechanical distal femoral angle, medial proximal tibial angle, mechanical tibiofemoral angle, joint line convergence angle, anatomical tibiofibular angle, anatomical-mechanical angle, anatomical lateral distal femoral angle, and Q angle. Other variables included the numeric pain scale, static balance, one-leg stand, dynamic balance, the star excursion balance test, and the physical performance evaluation test battery.

A moderately strong correlation was found between dominant lower extremity anatomical tibiofibular angle and anteromedial, medial, and posterolateral dynamic balance measurements of the patients, and between Q angles and dominant lower extremity anteromedial measurements. A moderately strong correlation was found between the patients' anatomical-mechanical angle and the sock test, roll-up, and fingertip-to-floor test. A moderately strong correlation was found between the Q angle and the sock test, pick-up, and fingertip-to-floor test (P < .05).

Altered lower extremity alignment of the patients in this study was found to be related to their postural balance and physical performance.