Predictive Validity of Health-Related Fitness Tests on Back Pain and Related Disability: A 6-Year Follow-Up Study Among High-Functioning Older Adults

Abstract

Background:Back pain and related disability seem to be increasing among older adults. Health-related fitness tests have been developed to identify individuals at risk for mobility difficulties. However, poor fitness as a risk factor for back problems has seldom been studied. The purpose of the current study was to investigate whether performance in fitness tests predicts back pain and related disability during 6 years of follow-up.Methods:Study population consisted of community-dwelling men and women, born 1927 to 1941, who participated in assessment of health-related fitness and reported no long-term back pain or related disability at baseline (n = 517). The assessment included measurements of body mass index (BMI), one-leg stand, backward tandem walk, trunk side-bending, dynamic back extension, forward squat, 6.1-m walking speed and 1-km walk time.Results:Prospective analyses indicated that poor fitness (poorest-third) in one-leg stand and trunk side-bending tests were the most powerful predictors of back pain. Regarding disability, poor fitness in dynamic back extension and overweight in terms of BMI ≥ 27 increased the risk.Conclusions:Tests of balance, trunk flexibility and trunk muscle endurance, as well as BMI can be implemented as screening tools for identifying persons with increased risk of back pain and related disability.

Adults with lower‐limb amputation: Reduced multifidi muscle activity and extensor muscle endurance is associated with worse physical performance

“…(Tajali et al, 2022) Further, worse back endurance performance among older community‐dwelling adults is also a predictor of back pain‐related disability at 6‐year follow‐up. (Husu and Suni, 2012) In combination with our findings of cross‐sectional associations between back extensor endurance and functional mobility per the TUG, FWS per the 10mWT, and balance per the BBS, back extensor endurance is likely an important factor in mobility‐related outcomes post‐LLA, warranting future longitudinal investigation.…”

“…*p < 0.100; **p < 0.010. fatigability, and this fatigability is associated with postural instability (Tajali et al, 2022). Further, worse back endurance performance among older community-dwelling adults is also a predictor of back pain-related disability at 6-year follow-up (Husu and Suni, 2012). In combination with our findings of cross-sectional associations between back extensor endurance and functional mobility per the TUG, FWS per the 10mWT, and balance per the BBS, back extensor endurance is likely an important factor in mobility-related outcomes post-LLA, warranting future longitudinal investigation.In our sample, median mBSET times were about 13 s for participants with TTA and 37 s for participants with TFA.Worse endurance among those with TTA versus TFA may be explained by greater prevalence of low back pain, that is, 68.0% versus 42.9%, respectively.…”

Reliability of Musculoskeletal Fitness Tests and Movement Control Impairment Test Battery in Female Health-Care Personnel with Re-Current Low Back Pain

“…Whilst associations found between physical fitness and LBP are partly conflicting, there is increasing evidence that low performance levels for several elements of physical fitness are risk factors for LBP [11][12][13][14][15], and LBP patients tend to be more deconditioned and less physically active than healthy controls [16,17]. Accordingly, sufficient muscular strength and motor abilities might protect the back and prevent back problems whereas poor performance levels might indicate predisposition to persistent LBP especially in physically demanding work such as nursing [18,19].…”