title: Voluntary strengths of male adults with acute low back syndromes.
abstract: Hand forces exerted in 120 different combinations of foot positions, hand positions, and force directions were measured in a group of 15 male adults with acute low-back syndromes. The performances of these patients were contrasted with those of 29 healthy male adults who had been tested earlier. The major findings were: acute back syndrome patients, sometimes even including those with very severe pain, have considerable physical ability in many of the situations examined, often fully comparable to that of healthy subjects; generally, either patients were unable even to assume a given position, or else their performances were close to normal in all exercises in each position; the positions which a significant number of patients could not assume were those involving substantial trunk twisting, or combinations of bending and twisting.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001416:Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D004576:Electromyography; D006225:Hand; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009132:Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology; D005082:Physical Exertion; D011187:Posture; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D013577:Syndrome