Effects of self-quarantine during the COVID-19 pandemic on patients with lumbar spinal stenosis

Abstract. Prospective case-control study This study aimed to investigate the effect of self-quarantine on the changes in low back symptoms and activities of daily living (ADL) due to low physical activity because of the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). The frequency a...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Kazunori Hayashi, MD, PhD, Toru Tanaka, MD, PhD, Akira Sakawa, MD, PhD, Tsuneyuki Ebara, MD, PhD, Hidekazu Tanaka, MD, Hiroaki Nakamura, MD, PhD
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer 2022-06-01
Series:Medicine
Online Access:http://journals.lww.com/10.1097/MD.0000000000029388
Description
Summary:Abstract. Prospective case-control study This study aimed to investigate the effect of self-quarantine on the changes in low back symptoms and activities of daily living (ADL) due to low physical activity because of the COVID-19 pandemic in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS). The frequency and intensity of low back and leg pain have reportedly increased in healthy subjects because of self-quarantine. Patients with LSS who self-quarantined from baseline (SQ group) were matched to controls who did not self-quarantine (non-SQ group), based on age, sex, medication, ADL, and the numeric rating scale score for low back symptoms. The change in low back symptoms, ADL, and health-related quality of life between baseline and follow-up were compared between the groups. The SQ and non-SQ group included 80 and 60 patients, respectively. Compared with the baseline, the numeric rating scale score for low back pain at follow-up in the SQ group significantly improved (P = .004, median; 1 point), but not in the non-SQ group. No significant difference was found regarding changes in leg pain or numbness. Low back pain improvement did not lead to ADL improvement. The short form 12 evaluation revealed the role/social component score in the SQ group to be significantly lower than that in the non-SQ group; no difference was found for the physical or mental components at follow-up. Self-quarantine with conservative treatment effected short-term low back pain improvement in patients with LSS. However, no improvement in ADL was found. Self-quarantine had an unfavorable impact for health-related quality of life. The effect of self-quarantine can influence the treatment results of LSS.
ISSN:0025-7974
1536-5964