Influence of kinesiophobia on lumbar position sense in patients with chronic low back pain-a case-control study

Abstract

BackgroundChronic lower back pain condition (CLBP) was reported with a significantly higher disability levels and fear-avoidance beliefs than their asymptomatic counterparts. However, the anecdotal evidence is there to support whether kinesiophobia had impacted the level of lumbar position sense among CLBP. The aim of the study was to analyze the relation between kinesiophobia, and lumbar position sense in patients with CLBP and asymptomatic individual.MethodsThis is part of a major case-control study proceeded with 200 patients with CLBP and 400 controls. Kinesiophobia, and lumbar position sense were assessed with Tampa Scale for Kinesiophobia, and lumbar re-positioning test, respectively. Functional ability was measured with a patient- specific Functional Scale in patients with CLBP. Regression models was administered to explore the complex relation between kinesiophobia, and lumbar position sense.ResultsKinesiophobia was reported high among patients with CLBP (30%) than in controls (11%) with the mean difference of 6.49 ± 0.52, d = 1.07 and lumbar position sense (0.09) were positively correlated with kinesiophobia.Discussion and conclusionAlthough a higher rate of kinesiophobia was reported among patients with CLBP when compared to controls, majority of cases with CLBP did not report Kinesiophobia. Further, Kinesiophobia was found to influence lumbar position sense among patients with CLBP.ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05079893 Registered on 14/10/2021.

Keywords: chronic pain; disability; low back pain; physical therapy; proprioception.