Evidence map›Paper›PMID 23988784›Full record

Observational studyJournal of science and medicine in sport2014

Are flexibility and muscle-strengthening activities associated with a higher risk of developing low back pain?

Robert D Sandler, Xuemei Sui, Timothy S Church, Stacy L Fritz, Paul F Beattie, Steven N Blair

Abstract readObservational Study
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Observational study in Journal of science and medicine in sport, 2014. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 7 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
7citing papers in PubMed, 1 pooled it
0.9field-weighted citation impact, top 25% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

7 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 17 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
  2. Trial
  3. Article
  4. Article
  5. Article
  6. Article
  7. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

6 authors at 3 institutions in 2 countries.

Robert D SandlerUniversity of Sheffield Medical School, Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 2RX, UK.
Xuemei SuiUniversity of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Exercise Science, Columbia, SC 29208, USA. Electronic address: msui@mailbox.sc.edu.
Timothy S ChurchPennington Biomedical, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA, USA.
Stacy L FritzUniversity of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Exercise Science, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
Paul F BeattieUniversity of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Exercise Science, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
Steven N BlairUniversity of South Carolina, Arnold School of Public Health, Department of Exercise Science, Columbia, SC 29208, USA; Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, Columbia, SC 29208, USA.
University of South Carolina · USLouisiana State University · USUniversity of Sheffield · GB

Funding

Impact of Physical Fitness and Exercise on HealthR37AG006945 · NIA · COOPER INSTITUTE · PI BLAIR, STEVEN N. · 2002 to 2005
$2.7M
CORONARY ARTERY CALCIUM, EXERCISE TESTS, AND CHD OUTCOMER01HL062508 · NHLBI · COOPER INSTITUTE · PI LAMONTE, MICHAEL J · 1999 to 2004
$2.5M
IMPACT OF PHYSICAL FITNESS &EXERCISE ON HEALTHR01AG006945 · NIA · COOPER INSTITUTE · PI BLAIR, STEVEN N. · 1986 to 2001
$1.1M
Understanding Patterns of Change in Obesity and Physical Activity in AdultsR21DK088195 · NIDDK · UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH CAROLINA AT COLUMBIA · PI SUI, XUEMEI · 2010 to 2011
$397k
NHLBI NIH HHS HL62508NHLBI NIH HHS R01 HL062508NIA NIH HHS AG06945NIA NIH HHS R01 AG006945NIA NIH HHS R37 AG006945NIDDK NIH HHS R21 DK088195NIDDK NIH HHS R21DK088195
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

objectivesTo examine the association between participation in flexibility or muscle-strengthening activities with the development of low back pain.

designObservational cohort study.

methodsThe cohort included 4610 adults, 17% female, between 20 and 81 years of age (mean 46.6, standard deviation 4.96). The cohort was followed for a mean of 4.9 years for self-reported low back pain. All participants reported at baseline whether they performed flexibility or muscle-strengthening activities, including specific sub-types.

resultsNeither general performance of flexibility or muscle-strengthening activities were associated with a higher incidence of low back pain compared to those who did not perform these activities. Those who reported stretching, as a specific flexibility activity were at a higher risk of developing low back pain compared with those who performed no flexibility exercises, reported callisthenic flexibility activities, or attended exercise classes. Those who reported using weight training machines, as part of muscle-strengthening activities, had a higher risk of reporting low back pain, compared with those who did not perform muscle-strengthening activities or performed callisthenic or free weight activities.

conclusionsIn this sample, stretching or use of weight training machines is associated with increased risk of developing low back pain compared to use of free weights, callisthenics or exercise classes.

Indexed as

GymnasticsMuscle Stretching ExercisesResistance TrainingWeight LiftingAdultAgedAged, 80 and overFemaleHumansIncidenceLow Back PainMaleMiddle AgedMuscle, SkeletalMuscle StrengthProspective StudiesEpidemiologyLow back painMuscle stretching exercisesWeight lifting

Identifiers

PMID23988784
PMCPMC3918247
OpenAlexW1975721125

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.