Objective

Postural balance is ensured by the involvement of several coping strategies. There is however an alteration of the proprioceptive system with chronic low back pain patients making it vulnerable to any type of disruptive force (endogenous and exogenous) and physiologically compensated by the postural system.

The aim of this study is to measure the postural changes during a functional restoration protocol.

Material/patients and methods

Were included in this study, 8 chronic low back pain patients, seen in consultation before being included in the rehabilitative care unit of the Bourbonne-les-Bains Hospital as part of a functional restoration protocol for 5-6 weeks.

Postural assessment was done on a weekly basis with a stabilometric platform, Feetest 6 Technoconcept, in open eyes and closed eyes conditions in order to analyze the oscillation speed and frequency at 0.2 Hz, corresponding to the respiratory rate by calculating the spectral density power.

Results

These were 5 women and 3 men with a mean age of 46 years old (± 12 years).

We saw a reduction of 36.8% of the oscillation speed with open eyes and 49.24% with closed eyes when comparing with postural balance done upon arrival and before leaving. Those results tend to approximate physiological standards by AFP 85.

Statistical analysis of the PSD mean value in the spectral band 0.15-0.25 Hz, at D0 and D42, highlights a significant difference with P = 0.015625.

Discussion–conclusion

The decrease of the oscillation speed allows to objectify a lower energetic cost. Low back pain patients also acquire new compensation abilities of the 0.2 Hz respiratory rate through changes of postural strategies. This could be explained by increased endurance capacity or better postural strategy. These mechanisms, however, are compensatory, temporary and require maintaining the level of training.