Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40111489›Full record

ArticleEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2025

Sex-based differences in biomechanical function for chronic low back pain and how it relates to pain experience.

Erin Archibeck, Irina Strigo, Aaron Scheffler, Abel Torres-Espin, Karim Khattab, Pavlos Silvestros, Robert Matthew, Caitlin Regan, Paul Hodges, Conor O'Neill and 4 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 6 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
6citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

6 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Observational
  3. Article
  4. Load-induced alterations in posterior parts of intervertebral discs in patients with load-induced pain during MRI; a detailed study using T2 maps.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2025
    Article
  5. Article
  6. 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

14 authors.

Erin ArchibeckUniversity of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, USA.
Irina StrigoUniversity of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.
Aaron SchefflerUniversity of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.
Abel Torres-EspinUniversity of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.
Karim KhattabUniversity of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, USA.
Pavlos SilvestrosUniversity of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.
Robert MatthewUniversity of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.
Caitlin ReganUniversity of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, USA.
Paul HodgesUniversity of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia.
Conor O'NeillUniversity of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.
Jeffrey LotzUniversity of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA.
REACH Inverstigators
Grace O'ConnellUniversity of California, Berkeley, Berkeley, USA.
Jeannie BaileyUniversity of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, USA. jeannie.bailey@ucsf.edu.

Funding

UCSF Core Center for Patient-centric Mechanistic Phenotyping in Chronic Low Back PainU19AR076737 · NIAMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI KRUG, ROLAND · 2019 to 2023
$34.1M
Mechanistic structure-function relationships for paraspinal muscle fat infiltration in chronic low back pain patientsR01AR081324 · NIAMS · UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA, SAN FRANCISCO · PI Jeannie Fern Bailey · 2023 to 2026
$1.4M
CSRD VA IK6 CX002926National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases of the National Institutes of Health U19AR076737National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship 264 Program DGE 2146752NIAMS NIH HHS R01 AR081324NIAMS NIH HHS U19 AR076737
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeThe relationship between pain experience and biomechanical impairment in chronic low back pain (LBP) is unclear. Among the broader pain literature, sex-based differences in pain experience have been established. However, it is unknown if sex-based differences in pain experience relates to compromised movement patterns for patients with chronic LBP. This study examined sex differences and whether there are sex-based associations between pain experience and biomechanical function in patients with chronic LBP.

methodsTo capture the biomechanical variability among LBP patients, we quantified full-body movement quality based on the extent that 3D postural trajectories deviated from matched controls during a sit-to-stand task (Kinematic Composite Score, K-Score). For both males and females, the K-Score was compared to pain measures, including patient-reported metrics and quantitative sensory testing (pressure pain threshold, PPT).

resultsThere were significant sex-based differences in pain experience and biomechanical function in patients with LBP. Specifically, males exhibited ~ 8% lower trunk K-Scores, indicating biomechanical function that deviated more from controls when compared to female participants (p < 0.001). However, females exhibited PPT values 29% and 41% lower than males at the control and pain sites, respectively (p < 0.0001). There was a weak but significant negative association between PPT and K-Scores for males (R

conclusionOverall, males with LBP exhibited worse movement quality, driven by trunk motion, but higher PPTs. Possible explanations include reduced interoceptive awareness or increased kinesiophobia in males, which may influence movement patterns. This research is an initial step in uncovering the complex relationship between patient-specific factors influencing LBP disability, laying the groundwork for further exploration, and paving the way for improving outcomes with patient-specific treatments.

Indexed as

Chronic PainLow Back PainSex CharacteristicsAdultBiomechanical PhenomenaFemaleHumansMaleMiddle AgedMovementPain MeasurementPain ThresholdSex FactorsBiomechanicsChronic low back painComposite scoreKinematicsMotion analysisMotion capturePain experienceQuantitative sensory testing

Identifiers

PMID40111489
PMCPMC12213978

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
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.