Lumbopelvic movement coordination during walking improves with transfemoral bone anchored limbs: Implications for low back pain.
Brecca M M Gaffney, Peter B Thomsen, Ruud A Leijendekkers and 2 others
PMID 38432038WHAT IT FOUND
Self-reported low back pain disability dropped significantly 12 months after bone-anchored limb implantation.
Walking coordination between the trunk and pelvis also changed, moving toward patterns seen in able-bodied people. The study was small and lacked a control group.
Key findings
01Disability caused by low back pain, measured by the modified Oswestry Disability Index, significantly decreased after implantation.
02Range of motion for the trunk and pelvis in the sagittal plane significantly reduced after implantation.
03Lumbopelvic coordination patterns changed in the sagittal and transverse planes, indicating different movement strategies during walking.
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
The study had a very small sample size of 14 patients and no control group, making it difficult to rule out other causes for the improvements. Participants were highly functional (K3 level) and had severe socket-related issues, so results may not apply to all transfemoral amputees. Rehabilitation after the initial 3-week program was not standardized, meaning differences in therapy could have influenced the results. Prosthetic components varied between participants and were not controlled for, which could affect movement patterns.
Declared interests
The authors have no conflicts of interest to disclose.
The easy way to misread this
Do not assume the bone-anchored limb directly caused the reduction in low back pain. The study lacked a control group and had a small sample size, so the observed improvements could be due to other factors like rehabilitation or natural variation.