The correlation between balance and trunk extensor strength in patients with chronic low back pain with hamstring tightness

Objective: To explore the possible association of balance and trunk extensor strength in chronic low back pain (CLBP) patients having tightened hamstring muscle. Methods: In this correlational study, a total of forty-five patients with CLBP (mean age 38.80 ± 11.14 years) who had hamstring tightness, were examined. A back dynamometer was used to assess trunk extensor strength. The anterior (ANT), posteromedial (PM) and poster lateral (PL) reach distances were measured by Y balance test (YBT). YBT Composite reach distance scores were calculated by the summed average of right/left ANT, PL, and PM normalized to leg length. Uni-variate and multivariate general linear model (GLM) were used to comprehensively examine the best predictors of reach distance performance on YBT. Results: The mean ± SD age of the patients was 38.80 ± 11.14 years; 68.9% were men. The mean ± SD of composite balance distances and trunk strength scores were 68.23 ± 13.61 and 105.82 ± 54.51, respectively. Trunk extensor strength (β = 9.85, 95% CI: 6.02 to 13.68, p < 0.001) and height of patients (β = 5.25, 95% CI: 1.21 to 9.29, p = 0.012) have positive association with balance whereas individual factors (such as age, gender, weight and BMI) showed no significant association with the balance performance (P > 0.05 for all). Conclusions: The findings underscore the significant positive association between trunk extensor strength and balance performance, highlighting the potential role of targeted interventions to improve both factors concurrently.