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

Introduction: Individuals with LBP frequently experience difficulties in maintaining balance, which can be attributed to changes in sensory integration and motor control mechanisms essential for postural adjustments. Prior research has shown that individuals with LBP may rely more heavily on visual input to stabilize posture, particularly during challenging tasks such as unilateral standing. However, existing studies present varied findings regarding the role of visual feedback in improving postural control in this population. This study was conducted to compare postural stability during repeated unilateral standing tasks between adults with and without chronic low back pain (LBP), while considering for visual input.

Methods: The study involved 26 participants with LBP and 39 control participants. Each participant performed three trials of standing tasks on their dominant limb using a stable platform. The Falls Efficacy Scale was utilized to assess fall-related self-efficacy and fear of falling due to potential physical frailty. In Figure 1, the center of pressure (COP) sway excursion was analyzed at 10mm and 20mm thresholds for the time-in-boundary (TIB).

Results: The results indicated a significant fear of falling difference in the LBP group compared to the control group (t = 3.27, p = 0.001). The LBP group demonstrated a significant interaction between visual condition and TIB (F = 8.45, p = 0.01), particularly in the LBP group, which demonstrated a notable decrease in TIB at 10mm (54.02% compared to the control group's 70.40%) and 20mm (70.93% compared to the control group's 85.92%) thresholds during the second trial and at 10mm (59.73% compared to the control group's 73.84%) during the third trial in the eyes open condition (Figure 2).

Discussion: Overall, visual condition demonstrated significant interactions on thresholds (F = 15.80, p = 0.001, η²p = 0.21) as well as trials x thresholds (F = 4.21, p = 0.04, η²p = 0.07). These findings indicate a potential adaptation in postural control among the LBP group with visual feedback. Further research is warranted to explore group differences when considering visual conditions and sway excursion thresholds.