Volume 5 • Issue 2 • 1000138 J Ergonomics ISSN: 2165-7556 JER, an open access journal Research Article Open Access Ogundele et al., J Ergonomics 2015, 5:2 DOI: 10.4172/2165-7556.1000138 Research Article Open Access Keywords: Segmental spine range of motion; Pain characteristics; Low-back pain Introduction Low-Back Pain (LBP) is described as pain, muscle tension or stifness localized below the costal margin and above the inferior gluteal folds with or without leg pain [1]. LBP is a major public health problem globally [2] with a high economic loss [3] and reduced work productivity [4]. As a result, LBP is considered the medical disaster of the 20 th century with its efects reverberating into the new millennium [5]. Epidemiological studies have indicated that about 80% of the population experiences LBP during their active lives [6]. Low-Back Pain is a complicated condition which afects the psychosocial and physiological aspects of the patient [7-10]. Associated physiologic impairment of pain, decrease muscular strength and endurance, functional limitations and loss of spinal range of motion among others are the most common reason for seeking treatment among patients with LBP [11-13]. Loss of spinal range of motion is ofen considered a cause as well as a consequence of LBP [14]. However, there are conficting fndings in studies investigating lumbar spine mobility in patients with LBP. Some studies have found reduced lumbar spine mobility [15-19] while others reported no diference in spine mobility and alignment of the lumbar spine in patients with LBP [12,20-22]. Conversely, some others reported increased lumbar mobility in patients with LBP [23-25]. Notwithstanding, spinal mobility and alignment are important factors for spinal function [11]. Persons with positive history of frequent episodes of LBP ofen present with altered spinal mobility at the lumbar spine [16], which may infuence movement in other parts of the spine [26]. However, the infuence of pain characteristics on the segmental mobility of the spine in patients with LBP seems inconclusive and controvertible. Terefore, this study compared cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine Range of Motion (ROM) of patients with Low-Back Pain (LBP) and their age, sex and somatotype-matched healthy controls. Te study also investigated the infuence of selected pain characteristics (intensity and duration of pain) on spinal range of motion in the patients. Materials and Methods Tis case control study recruited 202 participants (101 patients with LBP and 101 healthy controls). Te participants with LBP were recruited from fve government owned physiotherapy outpatient clinics from the South-Western part of Nigeria namely that of the Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex (OAUTHC), Ile- Ife, Wesley Guild Hospital, Ilesa, Ladoke Akintola University Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, University College Hospital, Ibadan, and National Orthopaedic Hospital, Igbobi, Lagos. *Corresponding author: Abiola O Ogundele, Department of Physiotherapy, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, P.M.B. 5538, Ile-Ife, Nigeria, Tel: +2348162760502; E-mail: abiolaogundele@yahoo.com Received May 11, 2015; Accepted June 25, 2015; Published July 05, 2015 Citation: Ogundele AO, Egwu MO, Mbada CE (2015) Infuence of Selected Pain Characteristics on Segmental Spine Range of Motion in Patients with Low-Back Pain. J Ergonomics 5: 138. doi:10.4172/2165-7556.1000138 Copyright: © 2015 Ogundele AO, et al. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited. Abstract Background and objectives: Pain is an important etiology in the dysfunction and impairment of spinal architecture, biomechanics and function. However, there are conficting fndings in studies investigating the relationship between lumbar spine mobility and pain characteristics in patients with Low-Back Pain (LBP). This study compared cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine Range of Motion (ROM) between patients with Low-Back Pain (LBP) and their age, sex and somatotype-matched healthy controls. The study also investigated the infuence of selected pain characteristics (intensity and duration of pain) on spinal range of motion in the patients. Methods: Two hundred and two participants (101 patients and healthy controls respectively) were purposively recruited from fve selected physiotherapy out-patient clinics in South Western, Nigeria. The control participants were recruited from Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU) and OAU Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria. ROM and pain intensity were assessed using dual inclinometry technique and Visual Analog Scale (VAS) respectively. Somatotype was determined using the wrist girth measurement and body perception scale respectively. Data were also obtained on demographic and anthropometric variables. Results: The patients and control group were comparable in age (48.1 ± 15.1 vs. 48.0 ± 15.1yrs; p=0.996). The control group had signifcantly higher ROM in the cervical (t= -6.82; p= 0.001), thoracic (t= -6.59; p= 0.001) and lumbar (t= -4.36; p= 0.001) spine respectively. There was signifcant inverse correlation between pain intensity and lumbar ROM in fexion (r = -0.402, p = 0.001) and extension (r = -0.303, p = 0.002) respectively. Pain duration was not signifcantly correlated with ROM in any of the spinal segments (p>0.05). Conclusion: Patients with LBP had signifcantly lower cervical, thoracic and lumbar spine ROM compared with controls. Patients with higher pain intensity had lower lumbar spine ROM in fexion and extension respectively. Influence of Selected Pain Characteristics on Segmental Spine Range of Motion in Patients with Low-Back Pain Abiola O Ogundele 1* , Micheal O Egwu 1,2 and Chidozie E Mbada 2 1 Department of Physiotherapy, Obafemi Awolowo University Teaching Hospitals Complex, Ile-Ife, Nigeria 2 Department of Medical Rehabilitation, College of Health Sciences, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria J o u r n a l o f E rg o n o m i c s ISSN: 2165-7556 Journal of Ergonomics