Coordination pattern and variability in a flexion movement control test used in clinical assessment

In clinical practice, movement control (MC) tests are used in patients with low back pain to outline the treatment strategy. However, the validity of those tests has not been investigated by means of kinematics. The objective of this study was therefore to compare spinal and pelvic kinematics between healthy participants with and without a Flexion Movement Pattern (FMP) during one of the movement control test designed by Luomajoki et al (1).
Twenty-nine healthy adults were clinically screened and divided in two groups: subjects with or without a FMP. Spinal kinematics were collected during a “waiters bow” assessment.
Subjects with a FMP showed a more flexed lower thoracic region compared to subjects without a FMP. However, we could not find clear differences at the lumbar region between the subjects with and without a flexion movement pattern.
Differences in spinal kinematics between participants of the FMP group and the non-FMP group exists. The individual variances, as indicated within our results, could be used to design effective clinical management