The association of total body composition with trunk strength, pain and disability in patients with lumbar osteoarthritis

Abstract

Background: Variations in body composition among patients with lumbar osteoarthritis may influence pain and disability and muscle strength. Objective: To analyze the relationship between body composition with pain, disability and muscle stream, in patients with lumbar osteoarthritis. Methods: Pilot study in patients older than 50 years of age, with chronic low back pain and lumbar osteoarthritis, who agreed to participate through informed consent. We excluded patients with diabetes mellitus, depression, anxiety, inflammatory arthropathies, vertebral fractures, idiopathic scoliosis, spinal surgery, heart disease or hypertension, radiculopathy or neurogenic claudication. Data on evolution time, body composition (total body fat and muscle mass), trunk strength, pain (numerical rating scale), and disability (Roland Morris questionnaire) were collected. Manb-Mitney U-test and Spearman correlations were performed. Results: 27 patients (18 women and 9 men) aged 58.59 +/- 6.98 years. Negative correlations between muscle mass with pain (rho: -0.63, p = 0.001) and strength (flexors rho: -0.42, p = 0.02. extensors rho: -0.50, p = 0.007) were found without correlation with disability. No correlations of fat mass with pain or disability were found. Conclusion: Decreased of muscle mass were associated with higher pain scores without influencing the disability in patients with lumbar osteoarthritis.