K. Newcomer et al., Repositioning error in low back pain - Comparing trunk repositioning errorin subjects with chronic low back pain and control subjects, SPINE, 25(2), 2000, pp. 245-250
Study Design. Repositioning error of the trunk was tested in 20 subjects wi
th chronic low back pain and in 20 control subjects. The 3Space Tracker (Po
lhemus, Colchester,VT), a device that measures three-dimensional position i
n space, was used to determine the subject's trunk position.
Objectives. To determine whether repositioning error is different in subjec
ts with chronic low back pain than in control subjects.
Summary of Background Data. Proprioception allows the body to maintain prop
er orientation during static and dynamic activities. In peripheral joint in
juries, researchers have demonstrate a loss of some aspects of propriocepti
on and improvement in outcome with retraining. Although the components of p
roprioception in subjects with low back pain have not been well studied, it
is thought that these persons lose some elements of proprioception that ca
n be measured in a quantifiable way. If so, then rehabilitation to improve
these deficits is important. In this pilot study, one aspect of propriocept
ion, repositioning error, was examined.
Methods. The subjects attempted to replicate target positions of the trunk
in flexion, extension, lateral bending, and lateral rotation. Repositioning
error was calculated as the absolute difference between the actual and the
subject-replicated target positions.
Results. No significant difference was found in repositioning error between
the control subjects and the persons with chronic low back pain.
Conclusions. Because proprioception is complex and entails the use of many
afferent receptors, it is difficult to measure any one afferent deficiency
discretely. The authors believe that this study, in which one aspect of pro
prioception was measured in an indirect manner, provides important backgrou
nd information on low back position sense. Further studies analyzing aspect
s of proprioception in subjects with low back pain are recommended.