Spine
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Comparative Study
Lumbar-hip flexion motion. A comparative study between asymptomatic and chronic low back pain in 18- to 36-year-old men.
The amount of lumbar and hip flexion and the relative contribution within movement during standing forward bending was recorded on a group of asymptomatic men and a group of men with a history of chronic low back pain. ⋯ When assessing the relative motion of the lumbar spine and hips in standing forward flexion, there was measurable difference between asymptomatic men and a group of chronic low back pain patients. In particular, two subgroups of individuals with chronic low back pain appeared; one moved relatively similarly to the asymptomatic group, whereas the other sub-group demonstrated reduced hip mobility. These findings indicate the importance of assessing the lumbar and hip flexion motion in chronic low back pain patients to determine if a movement abnormality is present.