title: Isokinetic trunk strength and lifting strength measures. Differences and similarities between low-back-injured and noninjured workers.
abstract: Fifty-eight back pain patients and 21 entry-level Postal Service workers without low-back pain were evaluated using a variety of lumbar function measures. Isolated trunk strength and full lifting strength were gauged with isokinetic and isometric methods. Lumbar range-of-motion was computed using toe-touch and goniometers. Conventional clinical techniques such as toe touch and straight leg raise were effective in distinguishing back-injured from normal subjects. Isometric and isokinetic peak force and torque tests failed to show significant differences between low-back pain and job applicant groups. When compared with published norms, our job applicant group was significantly deconditioned. Our data suggest that asymptomatic, deconditioned subjects could be mistaken for back-impaired patients or symptom magnifiers.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, University of California San Francisco-Mount Zion Hospital.
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Mandell
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Weitz
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Bernstein
authors.forename: M H
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Lipton
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Morris
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Bradshaw
authors.forename: K P
authors.initials: KP
authors.lastname: Bodkin
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Mattmiller
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019567:Back Injuries; D001827:Body Height; D001835:Body Weight; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology; D017770:Lifting; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D009132:Muscles / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010809:Physical Fitness; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology; D014938:Work Capacity Evaluation