Highlights
- •Older adults with CLBPR have poor energy efficiency and capacity
- •Prior work has shown that poor efficiency and capacity contribute to worse mobility
- •Future research should identify the underlying mechanisms to these energy deficits
Abstract
Objectives
To investigate the impact that the presence of chronic low back pain with radiculopathy
(CLBPR) may have on (1) energy efficiency and (2) energy capacity among community-dwelling
older adults.
Design
Matched case-control study.
Setting
Clinical research laboratory.
Participants
Included in the analysis were community-dwelling older adults (N=38, 60-85 years)
with and without CLBPR. Participants were matched between-groups on age (±5 years),
sex, and diabetic status.
Interventions
Not applicable.
Main Outcome Measures
Energy cost of walking at self-selected speed (ie, energy efficiency) and peak volume
of oxygen consumed (ie, energy capacity).
Results
Older adults with CLBPR had a higher energy cost of walking at self-selected speed
(P=.009) and lower peak volume of oxygen consumed while walking (P=.050), compared to those without pain.
Conclusions
Older adults with CLBPR may benefit from specific rehabilitative interventions that
target these potentially modifiable energetic outcomes, thereby reducing the risk
of mobility decline. Future studies should identify which mechanisms specifically
contribute to diminished energy efficiency and capacity among older adults with CLBPR.
Keywords
List of abbreviations:
BMI (body mass index), CLBPR (chronic low back pain with radiculopathy), Vo2 (volume of oxygen consumed), Vo2peak (peak volume of oxygen consumed)To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Article info
Publication history
Published online: April 23, 2018
Footnotes
Current affiliation for Coyle is Department of Physical Therapy, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
No prior presentation of material.
Supported by the National Institutes of Health (grant nos. R01AG0412202, R21HD057274, K12HD055931, and T32HD007490) and the American Physical Therapy Association’s Academy on Geriatric Physical Therapy (Adopt-A-Doc Award).
No disclosures.
Identification
Copyright
© 2018 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine
