LUMBAR ISOKINETIC STRENGTH IN PATIENTS WI TH CHRONIC LOW-BACK-PAIN

Lumbar isokinetic strength and the influence of age, bodyweight and te sting velocity in patients with chronic low back pain in comparison wi th persons without pain. Lumbar isokinetic strength parameters of 80 p atients with chronic low back pain and 70 persons without pain were co mpared and the influence of age, bodyweight and testing velocity was e valuated. The patients with chronic low back pain showed less strength than the persons without pain. All parameters of extension discrimina ted between the two groups whereas only some of the flexion parameters did. The isokinetic strength of the lumbal extension muscles was high er than the strength of the flexion muscles. In patients with chronic low back pain, isokinetic strength of lumbar extension muscles was mor e reduced than the strength of flexion muscles in comparison with pers ons without pain. At 90 degrees/sec in comparison to 60 degrees/sec, l ower extension forces, higher flexion forces and changed ratios of fle xion and extension muscles were measured. Age had an influence only on women. There were no changes in ratios of flexion and extension muscl es with increasing age. Bodyweight showed weak correlations with isoki netic flexion forces. The influence of different factors on isokinetic force varies between patients with chronic low back patients and heal thy subjects.