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Are there any correlations among the number of discopathy levels and pain intensity or disability in patients with symptomatic low back pain?

  • Orthopaedic Surgery
  • Published:
Archives of Orthopaedic and Trauma Surgery Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Introduction

Low back pain (LBP) is considered a civilization disease that affects people in an increasing number. Discopathy (degeneration of intervertebral discs) is recognised as one of LBP causes. Still, the relationship between the number of discopathy levels and LBP remains unclear. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the number of discopathy levels with intensity of LBP, functional level and the degree of disability.

Materials and methods

The prospective, cohort study involved 200 patients aged 27 to 55 years (44.9 ± 9.2 years) with single- or multilevel lumbar discopathy confirmed by imaging examinations. Functional examination included NRSscale, goniometric measurements, Modified Laitinen Pain Questionnaire, Oswestry Disability Index and Back Pain Function Scale.

Results

There were statistically significant positive correlations between the number of discopathy levels and the age of the subjects (r = 0.266; p = 0.000), BMI (r = 0.158; p = 0.029) and ODI (r = 0.157; p = 0.026). Positive correlation (r = 0.142; p = 0.044) was also observed between the results of Fingertip-to-floortest and the number of levels of discopathy.

Conclusions

The number of levels of discopathy was depended on the age and BMI of the patients. It had no effect on pain intensity, range of rotational motion of the lumbar spine and functional status of patients. As the number of levels of discopathy increased, a higher degree of everyday disability was observed.

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Data availability

Data and material will be available on request to the corresponding author.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physiotherapy, John Paul II University of Applied Sciences in Biała Podlaska, ul. Sidorska 95/97, 21-500, Biała Podlaska, Poland

    Kamil Zaworski

  2. Chair of Rehabilitation and Physiotherapy, Medical University of Lublin, Lublin, Poland

    Robert Latosiewicz

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  1. Kamil Zaworski
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  2. Robert Latosiewicz
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Contributions

Conceptualization: KZ, RL; methodology: KZ, RL; formal analysis and investigation: KZ; original draft preparation: KZ; writing—review and editing: RL; funding acquisition: –; resources: KZ; supervision: RL.

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Correspondence to Kamil Zaworski.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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This study was performed in line with the principles of the Declaration of Helsinki. Approval was granted by the Bioethical Committee of Medical University of Lublin (KE-0254/14/2014). The study was registered in the United States Clinical Trials Database (NCT03733964).

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Zaworski, K., Latosiewicz, R. Are there any correlations among the number of discopathy levels and pain intensity or disability in patients with symptomatic low back pain?. Arch Orthop Trauma Surg 143, 6077–6085 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00402-023-04881-3

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