Comparison of Functional Disability with Physical Activity in Patients with Low Back Pain

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of functional disabilities and physical activity in patients with low back pain (LBP) and apparently healthy individuals (AHI).Oswestry Low back Pain disability questionnaire was administered to thirty five (35) subjects drawn from 3 various health facilities in Lagos State. Thirty five (35) apparently healthy individuals with age and physical characteristics matched with LBP subjects were recruited to serve as control. All the LBP subjects were diagnosed as having acute or chronic LBP with radiologic confirmation. All the subjects with LBP had been on medication. There was a strong positive correlation between physical activity and functional disability (p<0.05) between LBP and AHI subjects. No significant differences was found in the physical level of acute low back pain(ALBP) subjects and chronic low back pain (CLBP) subjects in either functional disability(p>0.05) and physical activity(p>0.05). It was concluded from this study that patients with low back pain have impaired physical activity when compared with apparently healthy individuals because of functional disability associated with low back pain.

Keywords: low back pain, functional disability, physical activity

The Nigerian Medical Practitioner Vol. 52 (4) 2007: pp. 97-99