Gait dual-task cost in individuals with chronic low back pain and high avoidance or catastrophizing.
Anna H Bailes, Mark Redfern, Gwendolyn Sowa and 4 others
PMID 40829302WHAT IT FOUND
People with chronic low back pain and high catastrophizing did not shorten their step length when adding a cognitive task, unlike those with low catastrophizing.
Higher pain severity was linked to shorter steps and slower reactions, regardless of the task.
Key findings
01Higher scores on the Pain Catastrophizing Scale were associated with less reduction in step length during a dual-task walking condition compared to baseline.
02Pain severity measured by the Numeric Pain Rating Scale was associated with shorter step length and higher stance time variability during both single-task and dual-task walking.
03Higher pain severity was associated with slower reaction times only during the dual-task condition, not during seated baseline testing.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTsWhat it means for OTs
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What it does not show
Small sample size (43 participants) limits the generalizability of the findings. The study excluded adults over age 60, so results may not apply to older populations where dual-task costs are typically higher. The walking task was relatively simple (self-selected pace on a flat surface), which may not have been challenging enough to elicit significant dual-task costs in this young-to-middle-aged group. Statistical analyses did not adjust for multiple comparisons, increasing the risk of false-positive findings. The study did not assess trunk movement or control, focusing only on spatiotemporal and accelerometry metrics.
Declared interests
The authors declared no competing financial interests or personal relationships.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume that fear-avoidance beliefs directly cause gait instability during dual-tasking in this population, as the study found no association between fear-avoidance scores and dual-task cost. The observed step length differences were linked to catastrophizing, not fear-avoidance.
Summarised by AI from the full paper, without a clinician reviewing it. Check it against the source before it changes what you do. Read it on PubMed →