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Patients with chronic non-specific low back pain who reported reduction in pain and improvement in function also demonstrated an improvement in gait pattern

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Abstract

Purpose

To assess the changes in gait pattern and clinical symptoms of patients with chronic non-specific low back pain (CNSLBP) following a home-based biomechanical treatment (HBBT).

Methods

This was a retrospective analysis of 60 CNSLBP patients. All patients underwent a gait evaluation and completed self-assessment questionnaires at pre-treatment and after 3 and 6 months of a HBBT (AposTherapy). Twenty-four healthy, aged-matched individuals served as a reference group.

Results

Significant differences were found in all gait parameters and clinical symptoms between patients with CNSLBP and healthy people before treatment. Significant improvements were found in all gait parameters and clinical measures following 6 months of therapy including an increase in gait velocity (10.6 %), step length (5.6 %), cadence (5 %), and quality of life and a decrease in pain (13.3 %). There were no significant differences between groups in the gait parameters following 6 months of treatment.

Conclusions

Significant differences exist between patients with CNSLBP and healthy controls in terms of gait pattern and self-assessed health status. The examined HBBT led to significant improvements in gait pattern, reduction in pain, improved function and increased quality of life. However, future studies should validate these results while comparing this treatment to other treatment modalities.

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Conflict of interest

Avi Elbaz and Amit Mor hold shares in AposTherapy. Ganit Segal is a salaried employee of AposTherapy. Yair Barzilay, Raphael Lotan, Gilad Regev, Yiftah Beer and Baron S Lonner are co-researchers in a number of studies. They do not receive and are not entitled to any financial compensation from AposTherapy.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Spine Division, Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Hadassah-Hebrew University Medical Center, Jerusalem, Israel

    Yair Barzilay

  2. AposTherapy Research Group, 1st Abba Even Blvd, Herzliya, Israel

    Ganit Segal, Amit Mor & Avi Elbaz

  3. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Israel

    Raphael Lotan

  4. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Sourasky Medical Center, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Gilad Regev

  5. Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zerifin, Israel

    Yiftah Beer

  6. Spine Division, Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Mount Sinai Medical Center Beth Israel Hospital, New York, USA

    Baron S. Lonner

Authors
  1. Yair Barzilay
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  2. Ganit Segal
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  3. Raphael Lotan
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  4. Gilad Regev
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  5. Yiftah Beer
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  6. Baron S. Lonner
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  7. Amit Mor
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  8. Avi Elbaz
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Amit Mor.

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Barzilay, Y., Segal, G., Lotan, R. et al. Patients with chronic non-specific low back pain who reported reduction in pain and improvement in function also demonstrated an improvement in gait pattern. Eur Spine J 25, 2761–2766 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-015-4004-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-015-4004-0

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