Functional Assessment of Subacute or Chronic Low Back Pain by Subjective and Objective Measures

Abstract

Due to its high incidence, low back pain is a major problem from a social, health, and labor perspective. It is considered one of the most common causes of medical consultations in primary care, and one of the main reasons for temporary disability. A correct diagnostic approach and adequate therapeutic management will allow for better control of the clinical condition and its evolution. To do this, there are functional assessment techniques, both objective and subjective, which will provide fundamental information to perform appropriate management of the pathology, as well as to assess the effectiveness of the treatment. Within the subjective techniques, the Oswestry disability index is the most widely questionnaire used in hospitals, while the Roland Morris scale is used mainly in primary care. The results provided by the isokinetic and isoinertial techniques assess the functional capacity of the lumbar spine in an easy and convenient way for the patient. The main objective of this study is to present different subjective questionnaires and objective techniques to make a correct valuation of lumbar pain, improving access to adequate treatment and reducing work time.