Multifidi muscle characteristics and physical function among older adults with and without chronic low back pain

To determine whether multifidi size, intramuscular fat, or both, are associated with self-reported and performance-based physical function in older adults with and without chronic low back pain (LBP).Case-control study.Individuals participated in a standardized evaluation in a clinical laboratory and underwent magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the lumbar spine at a nearby facility.A volunteer sample of community-dwelling older adults (N=106), aged 60 to 85 years, with (n=57) and without (n=49) chronic LBP were included in this secondary data analysis.Average right-left L5 multifidi relative (ie, total) cross-sectional area (CSA), muscle-fat infiltration index (MFI) (ie, a measure of intramuscular fat), and relative muscle CSA (rmCSA) (ie, total CSA minus intramuscular fat CSA) were determined from MRIs. Linear regression modeling was performed with physical function measures as the dependent variables. Age, sex, and body mass index were entered as covariates. The main effects of L5 multifidi MFI and rmCSA, as well as their interaction with group assignment, were compared as independent variables.Medical Outcomes Study 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey physical functioning subscale, timed Up and Go, gait speed, and fast stair descent performance.Interaction terms between L5 multifidi MFI and group assignment were found to be significant contributors to the variance explained in all physical function measures (P≤.012). Neither the main effect nor the interaction with group assignment for L5 multifidi rmCSA significantly contributed to the variance explained in any of the physical function measures (P>.012).Among older adults with chronic LBP of at least moderate intensity, L5 multifidi muscle composition, but not size, may help to explain physical function

Low back pain beliefs are associated to age, location of work, education and pain-related disability in Chinese healthcare, professionals working in China: a cross sectinal survey

Background: Low back pain (LBP) is the leading cause of disability worldwide. Evidence pointing towards a more efficacious model of care using a biopsychosocial approach for LBP management highlights the need to understand the pain-related beliefs of patients and those who treat them. The beliefs held by healthcare professionals (HCPs) are known to influence the treatment advice given to patients and consequently management outcomes. Back pain beliefs are known to be influenced by factors such as culture, education, health literacy, place of work, personal experience of LBP and the sequelae of LBP such as disability. There is currently a knowledge gap among these relationships in non-western countries. The aim of this study was to examine the associations between LBP-related beliefs among Chinese HCPs and characteristics of these HCPs. Methods: A convenience sample of 432 HCPs working in various health settings in Shanghai, China, completed a series of questionnaires assessing their demographic characteristics, LBP status, pain-related disability and their beliefs about their own LBP experience, using the Back beliefs Questionnaire (BBQ) and the Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire (FABQ).Results: Younger Chinese HCPs (20–29 years) held more negative beliefs and attitudes related to LBP compared to older HCPs (>40years; BBQ mean difference [95% CI]: 2.4 [0.9 - 3.9], p = 0.001). HCPs working outside tertiary hospitals had poorer beliefs concerning the inevitable consequences of LBP (BBQ mean difference [95% CI]: -2.4 [-3.8 - -1.0], p = 0.001). HCPs who experienced LBP had higher level of fear avoidance beliefs when experiencing high LBP-related disability (FABQ-physical mean difference [95% CI]: 2.8 [1.5 - 4.1], p < 0.001; FABQ-work mean difference [95% CI]: 6.2 [4.0 - 8.4], p < 0.001)) and had lower level of fear avoidance beliefs if they had completed postgraduate study(FABQ-physical mean difference [95% CI]: 2.9 [-5.8 - 0.0], p = 0.049).Conclusion: This study suggests that LBP-related beliefs and attitudes among Chinese HCPs are influenced by age, location of work, level of LBP-related disability and education level. Understanding back pain beliefs of Chinese HCPs forms an important foundation for future studies into the condition and its management in China

Fear-Avoidance Beliefs Are Associated With Disability in Older American Adults With Low Back Pain

in the following collection(s): This article, along with others on similar topics, appears E-mail alerts to receive free e-mail alerts hereSign up corrections and replace the original author manuscript.: edited and typeset versions of articles that incorporate any authorPage proofs readers almost immediate access to accepted papers. PTJaccepted for publication but have not yet been copyedited or typeset. This allows: PDF versions of manuscripts that have been peer-reviewed andAuthor manuscripts publishes 2 types of Online First articles: PTJ). PTJ (Physical Therap

Use of trunk muscle training and neuromuscular electrical stimulation to reduce pain and disability in an older adult with chronic low back pain: A case report

<p>Among older adults, low back pain (LBP) is common, costly, and disabling. Trunk muscle training (TMT) and neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) have both been found to be effective in reducing LBP, but studies among older adults have been limited. An 83-year-old female with left-sided chronic LBP participated in a randomized controlled trial consisting of supervised TMT and NMES to the paraspinal muscles two times per week for 12 weeks. She also participated in a home exercise program. At the end of the intervention, she reported reduced LBP and LBP-related disability per the modified Oswestry disability index (i.e., 60% at baseline to 40% at 12 weeks). Her Short Physical Performance Battery summary score improved from 4/12 at baseline to 10/12 at 12 weeks, while her Timed Up and Go test improved from 17.21 to 15.20 s and her Repetitive Trunk Rotation test from 2.72 to 1.93 s/right–left rotation. This case demonstrates a positive short-term treatment response to TMT supplemented with NMES of the paraspinal muscles in an older adult with chronic LBP. A packaged intervention of TMT plus NMES may be a means of addressing not only LBP, but also impaired physical function and resultant disability.</p