Effect of postural threat on motor control in people with and without low back pain.

<h4>Introduction</h4>Negative pain-related cognitions are associated with persistence of low-back pain (LBP), but the mechanism underlying this association is not well understood. We propose that negative pain-related cognitions determine how threatening a motor task will be perceived, w...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Meta H Wildenbeest, Henri Kiers, Matthijs Tuijt, Jaap H van Dieën
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2023-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280607
_version_ 1827963565329350656
author Meta H Wildenbeest
Henri Kiers
Matthijs Tuijt
Jaap H van Dieën
author_facet Meta H Wildenbeest
Henri Kiers
Matthijs Tuijt
Jaap H van Dieën
author_sort Meta H Wildenbeest
collection DOAJ
description <h4>Introduction</h4>Negative pain-related cognitions are associated with persistence of low-back pain (LBP), but the mechanism underlying this association is not well understood. We propose that negative pain-related cognitions determine how threatening a motor task will be perceived, which in turn will affect how lumbar movements are performed, possibly with negative long-term effects on pain.<h4>Objective</h4>To assess the effect of postural threat on lumbar movement patterns in people with and without LBP, and to investigate whether this effect is associated with task-specific pain-related cognitions.<h4>Methods</h4>30 back-healthy participants and 30 participants with LBP performed consecutive two trials of a seated repetitive reaching movement (45 times). During the first trial participants were threatened with mechanical perturbations, during the second trial participants were informed that the trial would be unperturbed. Movement patterns were characterized by temporal variability (CyclSD), local dynamic stability (LDE) and spatial variability (meanSD) of the relative lumbar Euler angles. Pain-related cognition was assessed with the task-specific 'Expected Back Strain'-scale (EBS). A three-way mixed Manova was used to assess the effect of Threat, Group (LBP vs control) and EBS (above vs below median) on lumbar movement patterns.<h4>Results</h4>We found a main effect of threat on lumbar movement patterns. In the threat-condition, participants showed increased variability (MeanSDflexion-extension, p<0.000, η2 = 0.26; CyclSD, p = 0.003, η2 = 0.14) and decreased stability (LDE, p = 0.004, η2 = 0.14), indicating large effects of postural threat.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Postural threat increased variability and decreased stability of lumbar movements, regardless of group or EBS. These results suggest that perceived postural threat may underlie changes in motor behavior in patients with LBP. Since LBP is likely to impose such a threat, this could be a driver of changes in motor behavior in patients with LBP, as also supported by the higher spatial variability in the group with LBP and higher EBS in the reference condition.
first_indexed 2024-04-09T17:01:16Z
format Article
id doaj.art-f5e9411fda464e5eb690715a8d321b67
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 1932-6203
language English
last_indexed 2024-04-09T17:01:16Z
publishDate 2023-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj.art-f5e9411fda464e5eb690715a8d321b672023-04-21T05:32:43ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032023-01-01183e028060710.1371/journal.pone.0280607Effect of postural threat on motor control in people with and without low back pain.Meta H WildenbeestHenri KiersMatthijs TuijtJaap H van Dieën<h4>Introduction</h4>Negative pain-related cognitions are associated with persistence of low-back pain (LBP), but the mechanism underlying this association is not well understood. We propose that negative pain-related cognitions determine how threatening a motor task will be perceived, which in turn will affect how lumbar movements are performed, possibly with negative long-term effects on pain.<h4>Objective</h4>To assess the effect of postural threat on lumbar movement patterns in people with and without LBP, and to investigate whether this effect is associated with task-specific pain-related cognitions.<h4>Methods</h4>30 back-healthy participants and 30 participants with LBP performed consecutive two trials of a seated repetitive reaching movement (45 times). During the first trial participants were threatened with mechanical perturbations, during the second trial participants were informed that the trial would be unperturbed. Movement patterns were characterized by temporal variability (CyclSD), local dynamic stability (LDE) and spatial variability (meanSD) of the relative lumbar Euler angles. Pain-related cognition was assessed with the task-specific 'Expected Back Strain'-scale (EBS). A three-way mixed Manova was used to assess the effect of Threat, Group (LBP vs control) and EBS (above vs below median) on lumbar movement patterns.<h4>Results</h4>We found a main effect of threat on lumbar movement patterns. In the threat-condition, participants showed increased variability (MeanSDflexion-extension, p<0.000, η2 = 0.26; CyclSD, p = 0.003, η2 = 0.14) and decreased stability (LDE, p = 0.004, η2 = 0.14), indicating large effects of postural threat.<h4>Conclusion</h4>Postural threat increased variability and decreased stability of lumbar movements, regardless of group or EBS. These results suggest that perceived postural threat may underlie changes in motor behavior in patients with LBP. Since LBP is likely to impose such a threat, this could be a driver of changes in motor behavior in patients with LBP, as also supported by the higher spatial variability in the group with LBP and higher EBS in the reference condition.https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280607
spellingShingle Meta H Wildenbeest
Henri Kiers
Matthijs Tuijt
Jaap H van Dieën
Effect of postural threat on motor control in people with and without low back pain.
PLoS ONE
title Effect of postural threat on motor control in people with and without low back pain.
title_full Effect of postural threat on motor control in people with and without low back pain.
title_fullStr Effect of postural threat on motor control in people with and without low back pain.
title_full_unstemmed Effect of postural threat on motor control in people with and without low back pain.
title_short Effect of postural threat on motor control in people with and without low back pain.
title_sort effect of postural threat on motor control in people with and without low back pain
url https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0280607
work_keys_str_mv AT metahwildenbeest effectofposturalthreatonmotorcontrolinpeoplewithandwithoutlowbackpain
AT henrikiers effectofposturalthreatonmotorcontrolinpeoplewithandwithoutlowbackpain
AT matthijstuijt effectofposturalthreatonmotorcontrolinpeoplewithandwithoutlowbackpain
AT jaaphvandieen effectofposturalthreatonmotorcontrolinpeoplewithandwithoutlowbackpain