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Careddu S1, Luomajoki H1, Braithwaite FA2, Meichtry A1
1ZHAW Zurich University of Applied Sciences, Departement G - Institut for Physiotherapy, Winterthur, Switzerland, 2Flinders University, College of Nursing & Health Sciences, Adelaise SA, Australia
Background: Chronic Low Back Pain (LBP) represents one of the leading causes of disability. Subgrouping people with LBP is an important strategy to improve management. Lumbar Spine Instability (LSI) is considered to be one of these subgroups. Insufficient methods for the classification of LSI means LSI has become a controversial diagnosis. Diagnosing LSI as a structural and biomechanical problem has failed. Subjective complaints as well as self-perception of instability may play an important role in the identification of LSI. The Lumbar Spine Instability Questionnaire (LSIQ), a self-reported questionnaire, may help diagnose LSI. A German version of the LSIQ does not currently exist.
Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the LSIQ into German (LSIQ_G). The secondary aim was to investigate the reliability properties of the questionnaire in a Swiss-German population.
Methods: This study was conducted in two parts. In the first part, the LSIQ was translated and adapted into German (LSIQ_G). Translation and adaptation of the LSIQ_G was completed following the international guidelines. In the second part, the internal consistency of the LSIQ_G was evaluated at baseline, and the test-retest reliability was evaluated in a timeframe between seven and 14 days. To make sure that participants' general health status within this time period didn't change, a global change question had to be completed by the participants. If change was reported, participants had to be excluded from the test-retest analysis study.
Results: Participants that could be included for the internal consistency analysis were 39 and 38 participants could be included for the reproducibility analysis. The LSIQ_G shows good test-retest reliability (ICC=0.69) and agreement measurements (SEM=1.69 and MDC=4.68). However, internal consistency was low (Cronbach's alpha=0.43).
Conclusion(s): The LSIQ_G was successfully translated and adapted for a German speaking population. It showed good Reproducibility and Agreement parameters. However, low internal consistency suggest that more research is necessary to understand what the LSIQ is really measuring.
As subgrouping patients is important for effective treatment of LBP, further research is needed to clarify which underlying construct dominates in functional LSI and if the LSIQ could be a valid tool to identify this subgroup.
Implications: Although the LSIQ_G could be used in daily physical therapy practice, the questionnaire has some major conceptual issues that have to be solved in further research. The literature suggests, that self-reported signs and symptoms may play a more important role in diagnosing some subgroups of LBP, rather than structural and biomechanical diagnostic methods. Nevertheless, further research is needed on this topic and to clarify if there could be a use of the LSIQ in recognizing people affected by LSI in clinical practice.
Keywords: Low Back Pain, Lumbar Spine Instability, Self-Reported Assessment
Funding acknowledgements: This study had no funding.
Purpose: The primary aim of this study was to translate and cross-culturally adapt the LSIQ into German (LSIQ_G). The secondary aim was to investigate the reliability properties of the questionnaire in a Swiss-German population.
Methods: This study was conducted in two parts. In the first part, the LSIQ was translated and adapted into German (LSIQ_G). Translation and adaptation of the LSIQ_G was completed following the international guidelines. In the second part, the internal consistency of the LSIQ_G was evaluated at baseline, and the test-retest reliability was evaluated in a timeframe between seven and 14 days. To make sure that participants' general health status within this time period didn't change, a global change question had to be completed by the participants. If change was reported, participants had to be excluded from the test-retest analysis study.
Results: Participants that could be included for the internal consistency analysis were 39 and 38 participants could be included for the reproducibility analysis. The LSIQ_G shows good test-retest reliability (ICC=0.69) and agreement measurements (SEM=1.69 and MDC=4.68). However, internal consistency was low (Cronbach's alpha=0.43).
Conclusion(s): The LSIQ_G was successfully translated and adapted for a German speaking population. It showed good Reproducibility and Agreement parameters. However, low internal consistency suggest that more research is necessary to understand what the LSIQ is really measuring.
As subgrouping patients is important for effective treatment of LBP, further research is needed to clarify which underlying construct dominates in functional LSI and if the LSIQ could be a valid tool to identify this subgroup.
Implications: Although the LSIQ_G could be used in daily physical therapy practice, the questionnaire has some major conceptual issues that have to be solved in further research. The literature suggests, that self-reported signs and symptoms may play a more important role in diagnosing some subgroups of LBP, rather than structural and biomechanical diagnostic methods. Nevertheless, further research is needed on this topic and to clarify if there could be a use of the LSIQ in recognizing people affected by LSI in clinical practice.
Keywords: Low Back Pain, Lumbar Spine Instability, Self-Reported Assessment
Funding acknowledgements: This study had no funding.
Topic: Musculoskeletal: spine; Outcome measurement
Ethics approval required: Yes
Institution: Swiss Ethics Committees on research involving humans
Ethics committee: Ethics Committee northwest/central Switzerland (EKNZ)
Ethics number: 2017-01008
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
