Does a patient’s physical activity predict recovery from an episode of acute low back pain?: a prospective cohort study
Background Advice to remain active and normalisation of activity are commonly prescribed in the management of low back pain (LBP). However, no research has assessed whether objective measurements of physical activity predict outcome and recovery in acute low back pain. Method The aims of this...
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| Format: | Article |
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BioMed Central
2013
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| Online Access: | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2304/ |
| _version_ | 1848790750080270336 |
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| author | Hendrick, Paul Milosavljevic, Stephan Hale, Leigh Hurley, Deirdre A. McDonough, Suzanne M. Herbison, Peter Baxter, G. David |
| author_facet | Hendrick, Paul Milosavljevic, Stephan Hale, Leigh Hurley, Deirdre A. McDonough, Suzanne M. Herbison, Peter Baxter, G. David |
| author_sort | Hendrick, Paul |
| building | Nottingham Research Data Repository |
| collection | Online Access |
| description | Background
Advice to remain active and normalisation of activity are commonly prescribed in the management of low back pain (LBP). However, no research has assessed whether objective measurements of physical activity predict outcome and recovery in acute low back pain.
Method
The aims of this study were to assess the predictive relationship between activity and disability at 3 months in a sub-acute LBP population. This prospective cohort study recruited 101 consenting patients with sub-acute LBP (< 6 weeks) who completed the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), the Visual Analogue Scale, and resumption of full ‘normal’ activity question (Y/N), at baseline and 3 months. Physical activity was measured for 7 days at both baseline and at 3 months with an RT3 accelerometer and a recall questionnaire.
Results
Observed and self-reported measures of physical activity at baseline and change in activity from baseline to 3 months were not independent predictors of RMDQ (p > 0.05) or RMDQ change (p > 0.05) over 3 months. A self-report of a return to full ‘normal’ activities was significantly associated with greater RMDQ change score at 3 months (p < 0.001). Paired t-tests found no significant change in activity levels measured with the RT3 (p = 0.57) or the recall questionnaire (p = 0.38) from baseline to 3 months.
Conclusions
These results question the predictive role of physical activity in LBP recovery, and the assumption that activity levels change as LBP symptoms resolve. The importance of a patient’s perception of activity limitation in recovery from acute LBP was also highlighted.
Trial registration
Clinical Trial Registration Number, ACTRN12609000282280 |
| first_indexed | 2025-11-14T18:17:34Z |
| format | Article |
| id | nottingham-2304 |
| institution | University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus |
| institution_category | Local University |
| last_indexed | 2025-11-14T18:17:34Z |
| publishDate | 2013 |
| publisher | BioMed Central |
| recordtype | eprints |
| repository_type | Digital Repository |
| spelling | nottingham-23042020-05-04T16:36:33Z https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2304/ Does a patient’s physical activity predict recovery from an episode of acute low back pain?: a prospective cohort study Hendrick, Paul Milosavljevic, Stephan Hale, Leigh Hurley, Deirdre A. McDonough, Suzanne M. Herbison, Peter Baxter, G. David Background Advice to remain active and normalisation of activity are commonly prescribed in the management of low back pain (LBP). However, no research has assessed whether objective measurements of physical activity predict outcome and recovery in acute low back pain. Method The aims of this study were to assess the predictive relationship between activity and disability at 3 months in a sub-acute LBP population. This prospective cohort study recruited 101 consenting patients with sub-acute LBP (< 6 weeks) who completed the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ), the Visual Analogue Scale, and resumption of full ‘normal’ activity question (Y/N), at baseline and 3 months. Physical activity was measured for 7 days at both baseline and at 3 months with an RT3 accelerometer and a recall questionnaire. Results Observed and self-reported measures of physical activity at baseline and change in activity from baseline to 3 months were not independent predictors of RMDQ (p > 0.05) or RMDQ change (p > 0.05) over 3 months. A self-report of a return to full ‘normal’ activities was significantly associated with greater RMDQ change score at 3 months (p < 0.001). Paired t-tests found no significant change in activity levels measured with the RT3 (p = 0.57) or the recall questionnaire (p = 0.38) from baseline to 3 months. Conclusions These results question the predictive role of physical activity in LBP recovery, and the assumption that activity levels change as LBP symptoms resolve. The importance of a patient’s perception of activity limitation in recovery from acute LBP was also highlighted. Trial registration Clinical Trial Registration Number, ACTRN12609000282280 BioMed Central 2013-04-05 Article PeerReviewed Hendrick, Paul, Milosavljevic, Stephan, Hale, Leigh, Hurley, Deirdre A., McDonough, Suzanne M., Herbison, Peter and Baxter, G. David (2013) Does a patient’s physical activity predict recovery from an episode of acute low back pain?: a prospective cohort study. BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders, 14 (April). 11/1-11/11. ISSN 1471-2474 Physical activity Acute low back pain Recovery Predictor Cohort http://www.biomedcentral.com/1471-2474/14/126 doi:10.1186/1471-2474-14-126 doi:10.1186/1471-2474-14-126 |
| spellingShingle | Physical activity Acute low back pain Recovery Predictor Cohort Hendrick, Paul Milosavljevic, Stephan Hale, Leigh Hurley, Deirdre A. McDonough, Suzanne M. Herbison, Peter Baxter, G. David Does a patient’s physical activity predict recovery from an episode of acute low back pain?: a prospective cohort study |
| title | Does a patient’s physical activity predict recovery from an episode of acute low back pain?: a prospective cohort study |
| title_full | Does a patient’s physical activity predict recovery from an episode of acute low back pain?: a prospective cohort study |
| title_fullStr | Does a patient’s physical activity predict recovery from an episode of acute low back pain?: a prospective cohort study |
| title_full_unstemmed | Does a patient’s physical activity predict recovery from an episode of acute low back pain?: a prospective cohort study |
| title_short | Does a patient’s physical activity predict recovery from an episode of acute low back pain?: a prospective cohort study |
| title_sort | does a patient’s physical activity predict recovery from an episode of acute low back pain?: a prospective cohort study |
| topic | Physical activity Acute low back pain Recovery Predictor Cohort |
| url | https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2304/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2304/ https://eprints.nottingham.ac.uk/2304/ |