• Houle M
• O'Shaughnessy J
• Tétreau C
• Châtillon CÉ
• Marchand A-A
• Descarreaux M

• Affiliation / Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Québec (CIUSSS MCQ)
• Affiliation / Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). Département de chiropratique
• Affiliation / Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières (UQTR). Département des sciences de l'activités physique
• Affiliation(G) / Canada / Quebec / Trois-Rivières
• Exercise Test
• Intermittent Claudication
• Low Back Pain
• Open Access Document
• Peripheral Arterial Disease
• Posture
• Spinal Stenosis
• Walking
• Walking Speed

Background: Lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS) and peripheral arterial disease (PAD) are two distinct conditions characterized by similar symptoms including leg pain and walking limitations due to claudication. Differentiation between both origins can be difficult and characteristics such as symptom manifestations, time to relief in rest position and pain localization should be considered when determining diagnosis and the treatment plan. The objectives of this study were to compare changes in walking time to symptom change during treadmill tests and self-reported outcomes measures related to claudication, kinesophobia and global health between individuals with LSS, PAD and non-specific low back pain (nLBP).

Method: Fifty-five patients (23 with LSS, 14 with PAD and 18 with nLBP) were recruited from May 2018 to March 2020 to complete a treadmill walking test involving two 5-min walking tasks (Upright and Forward Leaning Trunk (FLT) Walking tasks). The speed was set at 1.9 km/h (1.2 mph), and each task was followed by a 5-min rest period. Walking time to symptom change and Total walking time were recorded during each walking task. Patients were asked to complete four questionnaires related to the impact of claudication, walking impairment, kinesiophobia and global health. One-way ANOVAs were performed to compare walking time difference from the Upright to the FLT walking tasks and to compare questionnaires results between groups.

Results: One-way ANOVAs showed a significant difference between groups regarding difference in Walking time to symptom change between both tasks (F = 4.12, p = 0.022). The LSS group improved its Walking time to symptom change from the Upright to the FLT walking tasks more than the PAD (p = 0.34) and the nLBP group (p = 0.12). The nLBP group was less impacted by claudication and less impaired during walking compared to the LSS and PAD groups (ps < 0.001). The nLBP group also had less kinesiophobia than the LSS one (p < 0.001), but was similar to the PAD group. The global health rating was not statistically different between groups (p = 0.118).

Conclusion: The test was able to distinguish neurogenic from vascular or nLBP related claudication. However, further studies are needed to validate this new treadmill walking test.

Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov (NCT04058171), Registered August 15, 2019 –Registered during recruitment

Author keywords: Lumbar spinal stenosis - Peripheral artery disease - Low back pain - Treadmill test - Walking time - Walking posture

Author affiliations: MH, CT, MD: Département des Sciences de l'activité physique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada; JO, A-AM: Département de Chiropratique, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada; C-EC: Centre Intégré Universitaire de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Mauricie-et-du-Centre-du-Québec (CIUSSS MCQ), Trois-Rivières, Quebec, Canada

Corresponding author—marieve.houle@uqtr.ca

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