Comparison of affected lumbar proprioception due to different injuries with healthy controls: An observational study

Background: There is limited evidence about spinal proprioception deficiency due to different injuries. Objective: To compare spinal proprioception in patients with Lumbal Spinal Stenosis (LSS) and healthy controls. Secondary objective is to investigate the effect of pain intensity and Thoracolumbar fascia (TLF) flexibility on spinal proprioception deficiency. Design: Cross-sectional and healthy controlled study. Setting: This study was conducted in a state hospital. Methods: Ninety participants (mean age: 46.98 ± 12.94 years) were grouped as: Healthy control (n = 30) (Group I), chronic low back pain due to LSS (n = 30) (Group II) and undergoing surgery due to LSS (n = 30) (Group III). Lumbar repositioning error (RE) was defined as reproducing a target position (neutral lumbo-pelvic posture) after tasks. Tasks were: 30° forward bending and 15° backward bending in sitting and standing. Primary outcome measures: RE, pain intensity and TLF flexibility were assesed with iphone tilt-meter app, VAS and goniometric platform, respectively. Participants: Sixty patients with LSS and 30 healthy controls. Results: RE scores of Group II and Group III were significantly higher than Group I (p < 0.001). Group III had lower VAS scores (p < 0.001) than Group II, except during standing with backward bending task. TLF flexibility was not differed between Group II and Group III (p˃0.05). There was no significant association between VAS and RE scores in Group II and Group III (p˃0.05). Conclussion: Individuals with LSS and healthy controls have different lumbar proprioception sense. TLF flexibility did not differ, due to different injury, in patients with LSS compared to healthy controls. © 2023 Elsevier Ltd