Effects of chronic low back pain, age and gender on vertical spinal creep

Abstract

This study investigated the effect of chronic low back pain, age, gender, and time of measurement on the magnitude of vertical spinal creep (VSC) and its recovery. A mixed design, involving three independent variables (chronic low back pain, age, and gender) and one repeated variable (time), was used. One hundred and six subjects of both genders, with and without chronic low back pain, aged between 20 and 60 years, participated in the study. The measurement of VSC and its recovery was performed using a seated stadiometer that allowed continuous measurement of VSC without changing the subject's posture over 25 min. Unloaded VSC was measured during the initial 5 min, followed by 10 min with an additional load of 15% of the subject's body weight and then for a further 10 min after the removal of the load. Subjects were grouped into one of eight categories according to the presence of chronic low back pain, age (20-39 years or 40-60 years) and gender. Repeated measures analysis of variance was computed. A significant increase in VSC with time of measurement was observed (p<0.001). No significant main effects for chronic low back pain, age, or gender were found at any time during the 25-min VSC testing protocol. Significant interactions were found between age and gender during the loaded (p=0.02) and unloaded (p=0.02) phases. A significant interaction was found between chronic low back pain and gender at the end of the unloaded phase (p=0.04). These findings suggest a combined influence of chronic low back pain, age, and gender on VSC and its recovery and that the dominance of each variable changed with the time of the measurement. Thus, subjects who differ in the presence of chronic low back pain, age, and gender should not be combined for statistical analysis of VSC and its recovery.

Changes in Spinal Height Following Sustained Lumbar Flexion and Extension Postures: A Clinical Measure of Intervertebral Disc Hydration Using Stadiometry

“…These results are in agreement with previous findings, which indicated no effect on spine height changes associated with sex, 9 suggesting that trunk height changes associated with various recovery positions can be generalized for both sexes in asymptomatic young adults. Spine height measurements, using stadiometer protocols, are largely dependent on lumbar intervertebral disk hydration.…”

“…The research methods of the current study matched the methodology and population of Kourtis et al who reported mean changes (−5.03 mm) in spinal height similar to the changes recorded in our study (−3.24 mm). 6 These findings are consistent with previous investigations including 4.28 mm height loss, 9 3.07 and 3.55 mm height loss, 10 and 3.85 mm height loss 11 recorded after 5 minutes of sitting in young adults. The consistency of the current results with previously reported laboratory-based stadiometer research suggests that the measurement protocol and stadiometer apparatus constructed for this study achieved an appropriate level of measurement accuracy to be applied to future research in a clinical setting.…”

Effects of seated lumbar extension postures on spinal height and lumbar range of motion during prolonged sitting

“…The disc dehydration resulted in loss of SH and decrease of lumbar spinal flexibility. However, some previous studies indicated that the relationship between age and SH loss or recovery was still unclear (Kanlayanaphotporn et al 2003;Michel and Helander 1994;Reilly and Freeman 2006). Therefore, there is a need to further investigate the influence of the proposed recovery postures on SH recovery and maintaining LROM in other age groups.…”

High‐accuracy photogrammetric technique for human spine measurement

“…1) which tends to be bulky, non‐portable and unsuited for field measurement. In general, the device measures linear change in stature or changes in spinal segments (Stothart and McGill, 2000; C. L. N. Rodacki et al, 2001; Kanlayanaphotporn et al, 2003; Kourtis et al, 2004; Mannion et al, 2004; A. L. F. Rodacki et al, 2007; Berryman et al, 2008). A. L. F. Rodacki et al (2007) developed a stadiometer which provides five probes to determine the spine outline at C4 (cervical lordosis curve), T7 (thoracic kyphosis) and L3 (lumbar lordosis).…”

“…1) which tends to be bulky, non-portable and unsuited for field measurement. In general, the device measures linear change in stature or changes in spinal segments (Stothart and McGill, 2000;C. L. N. Rodacki et al, 2001;Kanlayanaphotporn et al, 2003;Kourtis et al, Fig. 1.…”