Poster Presentation 51st International Society for the Study of the Lumbar Spine Annual Meeting 2025

Introduction: Chronic low back pain (LBP) often leads to compromised balance control, primarily due to impaired sensory integration. This study investigated the effects of visual input on balance by assessing the normalized stability index, sway excursions, and contralateral toe-touch duration during repeated one-leg standing tasks in individuals with and without LBP.

Methods: Thirty-two adults with LBP and 40 control participants performed repeated dominant limb standing tasks on a force platform. Key outcome measures were normalized stability index, sway excursions in anteroposterior (AP) and mediolateral (ML) directions, as well as contralateral toe-touch duration (Figure 1).

Results: The LBP group showed a significant group interaction for the normalized stability index under visual conditions (F = 4.95, p = 0.03) and decreased stability during the second trial in the eyes-open condition (t = 1.71, p = 0.04). Specifically, sway excursions increased in the AP direction during the first trial (t = -2.43, p = 0.01) and in the ML (t = -2.09, p = 0.02) and AP (t = -1.84, p = 0.03) directions during the third trial. Contralateral toe-touch duration also increased during the second trial (t = -2.06, p = 0.02).

Discussion: The LBP group showed significant balance deficits with increased sway and reliance on compensatory contralateral toe-touch during the eyes-open trials. Despite compensatory strategies, maintaining stability remained a challenge. These findings highlight the need for enhancing neuromuscular control and leveraging visual feedback effectively to improve balance and reduce dependence on compensatory mechanisms.

Keywords: low back pain; center of pressure; normalized stability index; visual condition.