title: Lumbopelvic motion during seated hip flexion in subjects with low-back pain accompanying limited hip flexion.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Limited hip flexion may lead to a poor lumbopelvic motion during seated active hip flexion in people with low-back pain (LBP). The purpose of this study was to compare lumbopelvic motion during seated hip flexion between subjects with and without LBP accompanying limited hip flexion.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifteen patients with LBP accompanying limited hip flexion and 16 healthy subjects were recruited. The subjects performed seated hip flexion with the dominant leg three times. A three-dimensional motion-analysis system was used to measure lumbopelvic motion during seated hip flexion.
  
  
  RESULTS
  During seated active hip flexion, the angle of hip flexion was significantly lower in patients with LBP accompanying limited hip flexion (17.4 ± 4.4 in the LBP group, 20.8 ± 2.6 in the healthy group; t = 2.63, p = 0.014). The angle of the lumbar flexion (4.8 ± 2.2 in the LBP group, 2.6 ± 2.0 in the healthy group; t = -2.96, p = 0.006) and posterior pelvic tilting (5.0 ± 2.6 in the LBP group, 2.9 ± 2.0 in the healthy group; t = 2.48 p = 0.019), however, were significantly greater in patients with this condition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The results of this study suggest that limited hip flexion in LBP can contribute to excessive lumbar flexion and posterior pelvic tilting during hip flexion in the sitting position. Further studies are required to confirm whether improving the hip flexion range of motion can reduce excessive lumbar flexion in patients with LBP accompanying limited hip flexion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, The Graduate School, Yonsei University, Wonju, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Si-hyun
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Oh-yun
authors.initials: OY
authors.lastname: Kwon
authors.forename: Chung-hwi
authors.initials: CH
authors.lastname: Yi
authors.forename: Heon-seock
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Cynn
authors.forename: Sung-min
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Ha
authors.forename: Kyue-nam
authors.initials: KN
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D001696:Biomechanical Phenomena; D005260:Female; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology*; D008161:Lumbosacral Region / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult