Abstract
Chronic low back pain and biomechanical walking imbalances are closely related. It is relevant to identify if there are alterations in spatiotemporal gait patterns in subjects with CLBP (cases) versus healthy subjects (controls) to plan training interventions of motor control gait patterns, and thus allowing normal physical activity of the individual. This study is intended to identify if spatiotemporal alterations occur in the gait cycle in CLBP subjects (cases) compared with a control group (healthy patients) analyzed with an OptoGait LED sensors gait program. Method: A total of n = 147 participants: n = 75 cases (CLBP) and n = 72 healthy controls subjects were studied with OptoGait gait program. Results: Significant differences were found between the two groups and both feet in foot stride, for the differences of the total stride and contact, for gait cadence and total stride length of the gait cycle (p < 0.05). Conclusions: CLBP may alter some normal gait patterns measured by OptoGait; this finding presents imbalances in gait cycle as an underlying factor. The gait is part of daily life of any individual and it is an important physical activity in relation to the maintenance of an optimal state of health. In addition, future studies are deemed necessary.
Highlights
Mechanical low back pain is a very common, expensive, and significant health issue in the western world
Various research argues that subjects with chronic nonspecific low back pain (CLBP) modify spatiotemporal gait parameters, altering this balance as a compensation mechanism for antalgic purposes [2,3,4,5], making the subject fearful and gait unstable, possibly creating a predisposition to the negative effects of a sedentary life [2,3,4,5,6,7]
The aim of this study is to identify whether alterations of spatiotemporal gait patterns occur in subjects with CLBP
Summary
Mechanical low back pain is a very common, expensive, and significant health issue in the western world. Its approach is complex and sometimes its etiological factor cannot be identified, attributing it to chronic nonspecific low back pain (CLBP) [1,2]. Various research argues that subjects with CLBP modify spatiotemporal gait parameters (step length, stride length, speed or cadence), altering this balance as a compensation mechanism for antalgic purposes [2,3,4,5], making the subject fearful and gait unstable, possibly creating a predisposition to the negative effects of a sedentary life (obesity, diabetes, depression, etc.) [2,3,4,5,6,7]. Postural control is maintained by continuous equilibrated contraction of anti-gravitational body musculature. Alterations in the position of several parts of the body may lead to variations of load due to the acceleration of gravity and influence the plantar pressure [9]
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