Sensitivity, specificity and predictive value of the clinical trunk muscle endurance tests in low back pain

Massoud Arab, A., Salavati, M., Ebrahimi, I., Ebrahim Mousavi, M.

The objective of this study was to describe the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value and diagnostic accuracy of five clinical tests used to measure trunk muscle endurance in low back pain.  A convenience sample of 200 subjects were categorized into four groups: men without low back pain, women without low back pain, men with low back pain and women with low back pain.  Five clinical static endurance tests of trunk muscles such as: Sorensen test, prone isometric chest raise test, prone double straight-leg raise test, supine isometric chest raise test and supine double straight-leg raise test were measured in each group.  The authors concluded that the prone double straight-leg raise test has more sensitivity, specificity and predictive value in low back pain than other tests and could be used as a useful clinical method for testing the spinal muscle endurance to predict the probability of the occurrence of low back pain.

Clinical Rehabilitation, 2007, 21(7), 640-647

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