Reference values and reliability for lumbopelvic strength and endurance in asymptomatic subjects.
Isadora O de Oliveira, Bruna Pilz, Roberto L G Santos and 3 others
PMID 29031958WHAT IT FOUND
Healthy adults completed lumbopelvic strength and endurance tests, and the results were consistent between raters and repeat testing.
Reference values were higher in men, younger adults, and active adults, so compare patients with matched groups, not one universal cutoff.
Key findings
01In 33 adults, the lumbopelvic tests showed good repeatability within the same rater and between raters.
02Reference values for lumbopelvic strength and endurance differed by gender, age group and physical activity level.
03The reported minimal detectable change values ranged from 3.44 to 5.70 kgf for strength tests, 13.28 to 26.00 s for endurance tests, and 4.14 mmHg for transversus abdominis activity.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
Read the rest of this summary
You get three full summaries a month, free, and we do not ask for a card. Search, the TL;DRs and your library stay unlimited either way.
What it does not show
The reference values come from asymptomatic adults, so they do not tell what is normal or abnormal for people with current low back pain or other symptoms. Reliability was tested in only 33 adults. Age groups were broad, 18 to 40 and 41 to 65 years, and the authors state external validity is restricted to this population and testing procedures. The transversus abdominis pressure biofeedback test has poor correlation with surface electromyography and ultrasound imaging, and its measurement properties are not fully answered. The authors state limitations when compared with gold standards, including bias related to changes in patient position, examiner or setting. No patients were treated, so the study does not show that using these tests improves outcomes.
Declared interests
The authors declare no conflicts of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not read these reference values as diagnostic thresholds for low back pain. The study measured asymptomatic adults only, and the authors say reference values for symptomatic subjects still need to be developed.