• Pagé I
• Swain M
• Wong A
• Breen A
• De Carvalho D
• Descarreaux M
• Funabashi M
• Kawchuk G

• Affiliation / AECC University College. Center for Biomechanics Research
• Affiliation / Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC). Division of Graduate Education and Research
• Affiliation / Hong Kong Polytechnic University. Faculty of Health and Social Sciences. Department of Rehabilitation Sciences
• Affiliation / Macquarie University. Faculty of Science and Engineering. Department of Chiropractic
• Affiliation / Memorial University of Newfoundland. Faculty of Medicine
• Affiliation / Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). Département d'anatomie
• Affiliation / Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). Département des sciences de l'activités physique
• Affiliation / University of Alberta. Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine. Department of Physical Therapy
• Affiliation(G) / Australia / New South Wales / Sydney
• Affiliation(G) / Canada / Alberta / Edmonton
• Affiliation(G) / Canada / Newfoundland and Labrador / St. John's
• Affiliation(G) / Canada / Ontario / Toronto
• Affiliation(G) / Canada / Quebec / Trois-Rivières
• Affiliation(G) / England / Bournemouth
• Affiliation(G) / Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR)
• Back Pain
• Body Composition
• Lumbar Vertebrae / physiology
• Spine / physiopathology
• Thoracic Vertebrae / physiology

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to describe the correlations between individual characteristics and spinal stiffness as measured with different spinal stiffness measurement devices in individuals with and without back pain.

METHODS: A secondary analysis of 3 adult data sets obtained using 3 different devices, in 2 spinal regions, from a total of 5 separate cross-sectional studies was conducted. Differences in spinal stiffness between men and women and in the strength of correlations among spinal stiffness and age and anthropometric characteristics were evaluated using either the t test for independent samples, Pearson's correlation coefficient, or Kendall's τ rank correlation coefficient.

RESULTS: As expected, results varied between data sets; however, few factors had consistent correlations. Specifically, spinal stiffness was significantly lower in women than men in all 3 data sets. Height was positively correlated with spinal stiffness across all data sets. Although weight was correlated with thoracic stiffness, its correlation with lumbar stiffness varied. In 2 data sets, body mass index was inversely associated with lumbar spinal stiffness, whereas results from the thoracic spine region revealed a positive correlation. The results for 1 data set suggest that physiological measurement evaluating body weight distribution may also affect spinal stiffness; however, the specific correlation remains unclear.

CONCLUSION: Despite data set differences, significant correlations were observed, indicating that participants' characteristics appear to affect spinal stiffness measurement.

Author keywords: Back Pain, Association, Spine, Complementary Therapies

Author affiliations: IP: Department of Anatomy, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada; MS: Department of Chiropractic, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Macquarie University, Sydney, Australia; AW: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong; AB: Center for Biomechanics Research, AECC University College, Bournemouth, United Kingdom; DDC: Discipline of Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada; MD: Department of Human Kinetics, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Québec, Canada; MF: Division of Research, Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; GK: Department of Physical Therapy, Faculty of Rehabilitation Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

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