Document Type
Article
Publication Date
3-14-2016
Keywords
Low back pain, Traction, Unloading, Reliability, Validity
Abstract
Background:: To date, no research has examined the reliability or predictive validity of manual unloading tests of the lumbar spine to identify potential responders to lumbar mechanical traction.
Purpose:: To determine: (1) the intra and inter-rater reliability of a manual unloading test of the lumbar spine and (2) the criterion referenced predictive validity for the manual unloading test.
Methods:: Ten volunteers with low back pain (LBP) underwent a manual unloading test to establish reliability. In a separate procedure, 30 consecutive patients with LBP (age 50·86±11·51) were assessed for pain in their most provocative standing position (visual analog scale (VAS) 49·53±25·52 mm). Patients were assessed with a manual unloading test in their most provocative position followed by a single application of intermittent mechanical traction. Post traction, pain in the provocative position was reassessed and utilized as the outcome criterion.
Results:: The test of unloading demonstrated substantial intra and inter-rater reliability K = 1·00, P = 0·002, K = 0·737, P = 0·001, respectively. There were statistically significant within group differences for pain response following traction for patients with a positive manual unloading test (PP>0·05). There were significant between group differences for proportion of responders to traction based on manual unloading response (P = 0·031), and manual unloading response demonstrated a moderate to strong relationship with traction response Phi = 0·443, P = 0·015.
Discussion and conclusion:: The manual unloading test appears to be a reliable test and has a moderate to strong correlation with pain relief that exceeds minimal clinically important difference (MCID) following traction supporting the validity of this test.
Journal Title
Journal of Manual & Manipulative Therapy
Volume
24
Issue
2
First Page
53
Last Page
61
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1179/2042618614Y.0000000072
First Department
Physical Therapy
Recommended Citation
Carlos, John Jr.; Swanson, Brian T.; Riley, Sean P.; Cote, Mark P.; Leger, Robin L.; and Moss, Isaac L., "Manual Unloading of the Lumbar Spine: Can It Identify Immediate Responders to Mechanical Traction in a Low Back Pain Population? A Study of Reliability and Criterion Referenced Predictive Validity" (2016). Faculty Publications. 647.
https://digitalcommons.andrews.edu/pubs/647
Acknowledgements
Retrieved May 30, 2018, from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4984809/pdf/yjmt-24-53.pdf