Balance Control in Patients with Subacute Non-Specific Low Back Pain, with and without Lumbar Instability: A Cross-Sectional Study

Figures & data

Figure 1 Flow diagram of the participant pathway through the study.

Table 1 Demographic and Clinical Characteristics of the Participants (n= 12 in Each Group)

Characteristics	Subacute NSLBP Without LI	Subacute NSLBP with LI	Healthy	p-value
Age (years), Mean±SD	34.5±8.35	34.41±9.95	34.83±7.6	1.000
Gender, n (%),
Male	5 (41.67)	5 (41.67)	5 (41.67)
Female	7 (58.33)	7 (58.33)	7 (58.33)
Weight (kg), Mean±SD	59.29±10.33	61.76±12.08	59.57±13.69	1.000
Height (cm), Mean±SD	158.96±6.86	161.21±8.36	160.33±9.81	1.000
Body mass index (kg/m^2), Mean±SD	23.35±2.83	23.58±2.72	23.02±3.13	1.000
Duration of current pain (weeks) Mean±SD	8.42±1.56	8.58±1.78	NA	0.810
Episodes of pain, n (%)
1	1 (8.33)	3 (25)	NA
2	3 (25)	2 (16.67)	NA
≥3	8 (66.67)	7 (58.33)	NA

Abbreviations: SD, standard deviation, LI, lumbar instability, NA, not applicable.

Table 2 Comparison of Outcome Variables in Healthy Subjects, Subacute NSLBP Patients Without and with Lumbar Instability

Outcome	Healthy, Mean±SD (95% CI) (n = 12)	Subacute NSLBP Without LI, Mean±SD (95% CI) (n = 12)	Subacute NSLBP with LI, Mean±SD (95% CI) (n = 12)	p-value	Effect Size (Partial η^2)
SS (sec)	53.76±8.72 (48.22–59.31)	39.07±9.02 (33.34–44.81)	23.91±13.06 (15.61–32.21)	<0.001	0.597
SUS (sec)	35.75±14.13 (26.77–44.73)	22.58±14.61 (13.30–31.86)	4.41±3.29 (2.31–6.50)	<0.001	0.560
FRT (cm)	31.54±3.28 (29.46–33.62)	27.46±1.65 (26.41–28.51)	23.88±5.61 (20.31–27.44)	<0.001	0.417
FTSTS (sec)	6.21±0.85 (5.67–6.75)	7.83±0.98 (7.20–8.46)	9.86±2.16 (8.49–11.23)	<0.001	0.536
JRE (cm)	0.16±0.09 (0.11–0.22)	0.45±0.14 (0.37–0.54)	0.64±0.18 (0.52–0.75)	<0.001	0.676
VAS (cm)	0	3.67±0.78 (3.17–4.16)	4.17±1.03 (3.51–4.82)	<0.001	NA
MODQ (Scores)	0	32±10.89 (25.08–38.92)	42.5±7.82 (37.53–47.47)	<0.001	NA
TSK (Scores)	35.5±4.54 (32.61–38.39)	42.42±4.62 (39.48–45.35)	42.5±3.97 (39.98–45.02)	<0.001	0.379

Note: Significance level was set as p < 0.05.

Abbreviations: SS, SUS, single-leg standing on stable surface and unstable surface; FRT, functional reach test; FTSTS, five times sit to stand test; JRE, joint repositioning error; VAS, visual analog scale; MODQ, modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaires; TSK, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia; LI, lumbar instability; SD, standard deviation; CI, confidence interval; η², eta squared; NA, not applicable.

Table 3 Comparison of Balance, Proprioceptive Sense, Pain, Functional Disability and Fear of Movement Between Groups

Outcome	Healthy vs Subacute NSLBP Without LI (n = 12)		Healthy vs Subacute NSLBP with LI (n = 12)		Subacute NSLBP with LI vs Without LI (n = 12)
	Mean Difference (95% CI)	p-value	Mean Difference (95% CI)	p-value	Mean Difference (95% CI)	p-value
SS (sec)	14.69±4.27 (3.92–25.46)	0.005	29.86±4.27 (19.09–40.62)	<0.001	15.17±4.27 (4.40–25.93)	0.004
SUS (sec)	13.17±4.85 (0.93–25.41)	0.031	31.34±4.85 (19.11–43.58)	<0.001	18.17±4.85 (5.93–30.41)	0.002
FRT (cm)	4.08±1.58 (0.97–8.07)	0.043	7.67±1.58 (3.68–11.65)	<0.001	3.58±1.58 (−0.40–7.57)	0.090
FTSTS (sec)	−1.62±0.59 (−3.12–−0.13)	0.030	−3.65±0.59 (−5.15–−2.16)	<0.001	−2.03±0.59 (−3.53–−0.53)	0.005
JRE (cm)	−0.29±0.06 (15–0.44)	<0.001	−0.47±0.06 (−0.62–−0.33)	<0.001	−0.18±0.06 (−0.33–−0.04)	0.009
VAS (cm)	−3.67±0.3 (−4.43–−2.90)	<0.001	−4.17±0.3 (−4.93–−3.40)	<0.001	−0.5±0.3 (−1.27–0.27)	0.330
MODQ (Scores)	−32±3.16 (−39.97–−24.03)	<0.001	−42.5± 3.16(−50.47–−34.53)	<0.001	−10.5±3.16 (−18.47–−2.53)	0.007
TSK (Scores)	−6.92±1.79 (−11.43–−2.40)	0.001	−7±1.79 (−11.52–−2.48)	0.001	−0.08±1.79 (−4.60–4.43)	1.000

Note: Significance level was set as p < 0.05.

Abbreviations: SS, SUS, single leg standing on stable surface and unstable surface; FRT, functional reach test; FTSTS, five times sit to stand test; JRE, joint repositioning error; VAS, visual analog scale; MODQ, modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaires; TSK, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia; LI, lumbar instability; SD, standard deviation; CI, confidence interval.

Table 4 Pearson Correlation Between Balance and Motor Control Deficit Factors in Subacute Nonspecific Low Back Pain (n= 24)

Balance		JRE	VAS	MODQ	TSK
SS	г (p-value)	−0.025 (0.455)	−0.190 (0.187)	−0.367*(0.039)	0.097 (0.327)
SUS	г (p-value)	−0.349* (0.047)	−0.175 (0.206)	−0.526** (0.004)	−0.350* (0.047)
FRT	г (p-value)	0.152 (0.238)	−0.423* (0.020)	−0.177 (0.204)	0.140 (0.257)
FTSTS	г (p-value)	0.263 (0.107)	0.041 (0.425)	0.460* (0.012)	0.349* (0.047)

Notes: *Statistically significant at p < 0.05, **statistically significant at p < 0.01.

Abbreviations: SS, SUS, single-leg standing on stable surface and unstable surface; FRT, functional reach test; FTSTS, five times sit to stand test; JRE, joint repositioning error; VAS, visual analog scale; MODQ, modified Oswestry Disability Questionnaires; TSK, Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia.