Assessment of tapping test results of people with low back pain

Abstract

Introduction. The central nervous system takes an active part in the processes of whole human defensive activity, separate functions of organism as well as in metabolic and energy exchanges. Pain usually causes restriction of body functions. The aim of this work is to apply the Tapping Test for people with back and leg pain syndrome in order to estimate the peculiarities of their hand and leg movement and to determine pain intensity dependence upon these peculiarities. Method. The contingent of the study comprised 20—40 years old men (n=12) with low back pain and radicular pain of the leg. Control group consisted of healthy men of the same age (20—40 years old) (n=10). People with low back pain were assessed due to their pain intensity in the course of twenty-for hours separately by the pain in their back and leg. Accordingly the scale of analogous numerical rating ranging from 0 to 10 was filled in. (where 0 — no pain, 10 — worst imaginable pain). The examined group had to perform left and right hand and foot Tapping Test. The duration of performed movements in milliseconds was registered by applying a special computer programme created in Laboratory of Kinesiology at the Lithuanian Academy of Physical Education. Registered period duration of each movement was used in the calculation of Tapping Test assessing indices: CNS functional mobility — movement frequency at the beginning of the test (during 10 s), CNS functional stability — steadiness of movement frequency (non-decreasing), also known as fatigability index, i.e. calculating conversely — decrease from the beginning of the test till its end, and computer registered whole movement duration or average duration of one movement period in milliseconds. Results and discussion. When hand tapping test was performed, a reliable difference of data results was revealed between left and right hand indices in both treatment and control groups. However, in comparison to each other both groups[...].