Associations between chronic low back pain and a 6-item movement control test battery: Analysis of total and direction-specific tests

Abstract

Background: A 6-item movement control test (MCT) battery is a screening tool designed to identify movement control impairments in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP) using a total score. In addition, the 6-item MCT battery can be further classified into flexion- and extension-specific tests. However, the associations between CLBP and direction-specific tests have not been investigated.

Objectives: To determine the associations between CLBP and MCT battery based on a total score and direction-specific tests.

Materials and Methods: 94 participants were recruited from physical therapy clinics and classified into two groups: 47 CLBP and 47 healthy controls. Each participant was assessed using 6-item MCT battery (3 flexion-specific and 3 extension-specific tests). A total MCT score of ≥2 out of 6 was considered a positive movement control impairment, while a score of ≥2 out of 3 in direction-specific tests was considered a positive direction-specific movement control impairment. The chi-square test was used to determine the associations between CLBP and MCT.

Results: Statistical analyses revealed a significant association between the total score and CLBP (P=0.003). Significant associations between CLBP and direction-specific MCT battery were also observed (P=0.002 and P=0.038, respectively).

Conclusion: The results suggest a potential link between movement control impairment and CLBP; however, causal relationships remain unclear. In addition, CLBP was also associated with both flexion- and extension-specific tests, suggesting that movement control impairment may not be specific to the directions. However, subclassifying movement control impairment using direction-specific tests may help clinicians design exercises specific to the direction of impairment.