Research ArticleOpen Access

Comparison of Hamstring Flexibility between Patients with Chronic Lower Back Pain and the Healthy Individuals at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka

Volume 5 - Issue 2

Hasarangi LBS and Jayawardana DGSK*

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- Deparment of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka
*Corresponding author: Jayawardana DGSK, Deparment of Allied Health Sciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Colombo, Sri Lanka

Received: May 24, 2018; Published: June 06, 2018

DOI: 10.26717/BJSTR.2018.05.001171

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Abstract

Introduction & Objectives: A back pain lasting more than 12 weeks has been defined as a chronic low back pain. It is one of the leading causes for functional limitations in adult population. Due to the anatomical origin and insertion of hamstring; the lack of hamstrings flexibility decreases pelvic mobility which may lead to development of low back pain. The main aim of this study was to compare hamstrings flexibility between the patients with chronic lower back pain and healthy individuals at the National Hospital of Sri Lanka.

Methodology: Hospital based cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out with 100 participants; 50 patients with chronic low back pain and 50 age and gender matched healthy subjects with age between 40-60 years from National hospital of Srilanka. Active knee extension test was used to measure hamstrings flexibility.

Results: Each group consisted of 50 subjects and 66% were females. Mean age of the patients with chronic low back pain was 50.08 ±5.18 years and mean age of the healthy people was 49.44 ±5.66 years. The mean hamstrings flexibility for all subjects with chronic low back pain was 152.630 ±3.74 for the right and 152.150 ±3.81 for the left. Mean values for right and left hamstrings flexibility of healthy group were 159.480 ±3.42, 159.330 ±3.07 respectively. Hamstrings flexibility of the patients with chronic low back pain were significantly lower than the hamstrings flexibility of healthy people (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Hamstrings flexibility was significantly reduced among the patient chronic low back pain when compared to healthy individuals of same age and gender

Keywords: Chronic lower back pain, Hamstring flexibility, Active knee extension

Abbrevations: CLBP: Chronic Low Back Pain, HF: Hamstrings Flexibility, HMC: Hamstring Muscle Complex, DRR: Department of Rheumatology and Rehabilitation, NHSL: National Hospital of Sri Lanka, AKE: Active Knee Extension