The correlation between balance and trunk extensor strength in patients with chronic low back pain with hamstring tightness.

OBJECTIVE

To explore the possible association of balance and trunk extensor strength in chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients having tightened hamstring muscle.

METHODS

In this correlational study, a total of forty-five patients with CLBP (mean age 38.80 ± 11.14 years) who had hamstring tightness, were examined. A back dynamometer was used to assess trunk extensor strength. The anterior (ANT), posteromedial (PM) and poster lateral (PL) reach distances were measured by Y balance test (YBT). YBT Composite reach distance scores were calculated by the summed average of right/left ANT, PL, and PM normalized to leg length. Uni-variate and multivariate general linear model (GLM) were used to comprehensively examine the best predictors of reach distance performance on YBT.

RESULTS

The mean ± SD age of the patients was 38.80 ± 11.14 years; 68.9% were men. The mean ± SD of composite balance distances and trunk strength scores were 68.23 ± 13.61 and 105.82 ± 54.51, respectively. Trunk extensor strength (β = 9.85, 95% CI: 6.02 to 13.68, p < 0.001) and height of patients (β = 5.25, 95% CI: 1.21 to 9.29, p = 0.012) have positive association with balance whereas individual factors (such as age, gender, weight and BMI) showed no significant association with the balance performance (P > 0.05 for all).

CONCLUSIONS

The findings underscore the significant positive association between trunk extensor strength and balance performance, highlighting the potential role of targeted interventions to improve both factors concurrently.