Identifying the Change in Movement Patterns in Patients with Acute and Chronic Lumbar Radiculopathy: An Exploratory Study.
- 1Department of Physiotherapy, NIMS College of Physiotherapy and Occupational Studies, NIMS University, Rajasthan, Jaipur, India.
- 2Department of Orthopaedics, NIMS University, Rajasthan, Jaipur, India.
- 3Index College of Physiotherapy And Paramedical Sciences, Indore, Madhya Pradesh, India.
Abstract
Low back pain (LBP) is a significant global health issue, impacting 60-80% of individuals during their lifetime and resulting in 83 million disability-adjusted life years. Most cases involve identifiable pathoanatomical origins tied to degenerative lumbar spine conditions. Lumbar radiculopathy (LR), affecting up to 13.4% of the population, presents dermatomal pain often due to nerve root compression from various factors. Acute LR is characterized by sudden leg pain extending from the lower back, primarily caused by herniated disks or spinal stenosis. Chronic LR develops from ongoing nerve root irritation, leading to intense pain and sensory changes. Patients exhibit altered lumbo-pelvic coordination, with decreased lumbar involvement and increased pelvic rotation during trunk movements. The Kinesiopathologic Model suggests that repetitive movements contribute to the onset and progression of LBP through specific lumbar movement patterns. Various compensatory movement patterns occur in LR, often characterized by caution to alleviate nerve strain. There is limited research examining movement pattern alterations in acute versus chronic LR, highlighting a research gap that this study aims to address. The aim of the study was to identify the change in movement patterns in patients with acute and chronic LR. Fourteen participants from Empathy Physiotherapy, Indore, were studied for LR due to disk issues, divided into two groups based on duration: Group 1 (acute, < 4 weeks) and Group 2 (chronic, >12 weeks). Baseline interviews including demographic data were conducted, followed by magnetic resonance imaging assessments. Patients' pain intensity was measured with the numeric pain rating scale, and movement patterns were evaluated through specific tests. Acute and chronic LR show distinct movement patterns. This research indicates that as LR progresses, movement alterations affect symptom fluctuations and functional limitations. The study assessed movement pattern changes in 14 acute and chronic LR patients. Preliminary correlations were noted between altered patterns and radiculopathy duration. Results warrant caution due to limited sample size and design. Findings can inspire future research for individualized treatment strategies based on evolving movement patterns and symptom management.
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BibTeX
@article{atwani2026identifying,
title = {{Identifying the Change in Movement Patterns in Patients with Acute and Chronic Lumbar Radiculopathy: An Exploratory Study.}},
author = {Shweta Atwani and Mukesh Tiwari and Reshma Khurana},
journal = {Journal of orthopaedic case reports},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.13107/jocr.2026.v16.i11.8494},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997106},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Identifying the Change in Movement Patterns in Patients with Acute and Chronic Lumbar Radiculopathy: An Exploratory Study.
AU - Shweta Atwani
AU - Mukesh Tiwari
AU - Reshma Khurana
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/01
JO - Journal of orthopaedic case reports
DO - 10.13107/jocr.2026.v16.i11.8494
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/MED/42997106
AB - Low back pain (LBP) is a significant global health issue, impacting 60-80% of individuals during their lifetime and resulting in 83 million disability-adjusted life years. Most cases involve identifiable pathoanatomical origins tied to degenerative lumbar spine conditions. Lumbar radiculopathy (LR), affecting up to 13.4% of the population, presents dermatomal pain often due to nerve root compression from various factors. Acute LR is characterized by sudden leg pain extending from the lower back, primarily caused by herniated disks or spinal stenosis. Chronic LR develops from ongoing nerve root irritation, leading to intense pain and sensory changes. Patients exhibit altered lumbo-pelvic coordination, with decreased lumbar involvement and increased pelvic rotation during trunk movements. The Kinesiopathologic Model suggests that repetitive movements contribute to the onset and progression of LBP through specific lumbar movement patterns. Various compensatory movement patterns occur in LR, often characterized by caution to alleviate nerve strain. There is limited research examining movement pattern alterations in acute versus chronic LR, highlighting a research gap that this study aims to address. The aim of the study was to identify the change in movement patterns in patients with acute and chronic LR. Fourteen participants from Empathy Physiotherapy, Indore, were studied for LR due to disk issues, divided into two groups based on duration: Group 1 (acute, < 4 weeks) and Group 2 (chronic, >12 weeks). Baseline interviews including demographic data were conducted, followed by magnetic resonance imaging assessments. Patients' pain intensity was measured with the numeric pain rating scale, and movement patterns were evaluated through specific tests. Acute and chronic LR show distinct movement patterns. This research indicates that as LR progresses, movement alterations affect symptom fluctuations and functional limitations. The study assessed movement pattern changes in 14 acute and chronic LR patients. Preliminary correlations were noted between altered patterns and radiculopathy duration. Results warrant caution due to limited sample size and design. Findings can inspire future research for individualized treatment strategies based on evolving movement patterns and symptom management.
SN - 2250-0685
SN - 2321-3817
ER -