Combination of Rehabilitative Therapy with Ultramicronized Palmitoylethanolamide for Chronic Low Back Pain: An Observational Study

Fibromyalgia (FM) and chronic low back pain (CLBP) have shared pathophysiology and have a considerable impact on patients’ daily activities and quality of life. The main objective of this study was to compare pain impact, somatosensory sensitivity, motor functionality, and balance among 60 patients with FM, 60 patients with CLBP, and 60 pain-free controls aged between 30 and 65 years. It is essential to know the possible differences existing in symptomatology of two of the major chronic pain processes that most affect the population, such as FM and CLBP. The fact of establishing possible differences in sensory thresholds, motor function, and proprioceptive measures among patients with FM and CLBP could bring us closer to a greater knowledge of the chronic pain process. Through an observational study, a comparison was made between the three groups (FM, CLBP, and pain-free controls) evaluating functional performance, postural balance, kinematic gait parameters, strength, depression, fatigue, and sensitivity to pain and vibration. Patients with chronic pain showed worse somatosensory sensitivity (p < 0.001) and motor function (p < 0.001) than pain-free controls. Moreover, patients with FM showed greater pain impact (p < 0.001) and bigger somatosensory (p < 0.001) and motor deficiencies (p < 0.001) than patients with CLBP. Further research should explore the possible reasons for the greater deterioration in patients with FM in comparison with other chronic pain conditions. Our results, showing the multiple areas susceptible of deterioration, make it necessary to adopt interdisciplinary interventions focused both on physical and emotional dysfunction.

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Differences in dynamic and postural stability based on degree of disability in patients with nonspecific chronic lower back pain: an observational study

Journal of MOVE and Therapeutic Science ◽

10.37382/jomts.v3i1.471 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Mónica Grande-Alonso ◽

Raquel Pérez-Muñoz ◽

José María Aceña-García ◽

Francisco Fernando Recio-Mateo ◽

Diego Pro-Marín ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Low Back Pain ◽

Back Pain ◽

Observational Study ◽

Chronic Low Back Pain ◽

Postural Stability ◽

Dynamic Balance ◽

Forward Direction ◽

Static Stability ◽

Chronic Lower Back Pain ◽

Low Back

Objetive: The main objective of this study was to analyze whether there were differences in dynamic balance and postural stability in relation to the level of disability in patients with chronic low back pain. Methodss: This is an observational study in which 60 patients with nonspecific chronic low back pain were included. All patients received a sociodemographic questionnaire, the visual analogue scale (VAS) and a series of self-reported psychological scales. To complete the evaluation, physical tests were performed in which dynamic balance and postural stability were measured. Results: Student’s t-test revealed that there were significant differences between the groups in dynamic balance with the right leg and the left leg. In contrast, there were no significant differences between the groups for the reach functional test in forward direction, left direction and right direction. Conclusion: In conclusion, our study demonstrates that patients with chronic low back pain with high levels of disability present significantly poorer dynamic balance compared with those with low levels of disability. In contrast, no significant differences were found between the groups in terms of static stability.

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