Is sedentary time associated with pain and disability in patients with chronic low back pain? A longitudinal study

Background The role of sedentary behavior (SB) in pain and disability in people with low back pain (LBP) is contradictory. This may be because objective and subjective measures of SB have different results, and few studies have used both measures concomitantly. Objective To investigate the association of SB, measured objectively or self-reported, with pain and disability in patients with LBP. Methods Patients aged 18 to 60 years with LBP completed questionnaires on sociodemographic data, pain, disability, fear of movement, and depressive symptoms. Sedentary behavior was assessed objectively using an accelerometer for 7 days and subjectively via the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). After 6 months, pain and disability were reassessed. Linear regression analyses were performed to investigate the association between SB and clinical outcomes. Results Of the 182 participants, 141 completed the 6-month follow-up, corresponding to an attrition rate of 22.5%. Objective measures of SB were not associated with pain and functional disability after 6 months. Self-reported sedentary time was associated with pain in the univariate analysis, but not in the multivariate model. Conclusions Objective and self-reported SB were not significant predictors of pain or functional disability in people with LBP after 6 months. Age had a stronger influence on these clinical outcomes.