Prevalence of back pain, its effect on functional ability and health-related quality of life in lower limb amputees secondary to trauma or tumour

Abstract

The prevalence of back pain and its effect on function and health-related quality of life across three levels of lower limb amputation secondary to trauma or tumour was studied. Cross-sectional survey. Forty-six lower limb amputees, aged 19-78 years, participated. The Roland Morris disability questionnaire (RMDQ) and the short form 36 health survey (SF-36) were used. Participants reported more back pain after amputation than before (p < 0.001). There was a significant association between back pain daily or several times/week and severe or moderate disability reporting on the RMDQ (p = 0.003). On the SF-36, the group as a whole scored significantly lower in health-related quality of life with regard to physical functioning, role physical, bodily pain, general health, social functioning and the physical component summary (PCS), and significantly higher in the mental component summary (MCS) compared to normative Swedish data. When all three levels of amputation were compared, no statistically significant differences were found in the RMDQ or SF-36 results. There was a high prevalence of back pain after amputation. Almost all participants having back pain daily or several times per week reported severe or moderate disability on the RMDQ. The group as a whole scored significantly lower for health-related quality of life in the PCS and significantly higher in the MCS compared to normative Swedish data. The high prevalence of back pain, and the significant association between back pain daily or several times per week and severe or moderate disability on the RMDQ, and the negative correlation between RMDQ and SF-36, may have clinical relevance with regard to rehabilitation and follow-up of lower limb amputation.