Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40197475›Full record

ArticleBMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation2025

Comparative analysis of ground reaction forces and spatiotemporal gait parameters in older adults with sway-back posture and chronic low back pain: a cross-sectional study.

Fatemeh Esmaeilpour, Amir Letafatkar, Mohammad Taghi Karimi, Mehdi Khaleghi, Giacomo Rossettini, Jorge Hugo Villafañe

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In one paragraph

Article in BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 8 papers, 3 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
8citing papers in PubMed, 3 pooled it
–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

8 citing papers in PubMed, 3 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Pooled it
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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.

Fatemeh EsmaeilpourDepartment of Biomechanics and Sport Injuries, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, 11369, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Amir LetafatkarDepartment of Biomechanics and Sport Injuries, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, 11369, Islamic Republic of Iran. letafatkaramir@yahoo.com.
Mohammad Taghi KarimiSchool of Rehabilitation Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Tehran, 11369, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Mehdi KhaleghiDepartment of Biomechanics and Sport Injuries, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Kharazmi University, Tehran, 11369, Islamic Republic of Iran.
Giacomo Rossettini *School of Physiotherapy, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.
Jorge Hugo Villafañe *Department of Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Sports, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Villaviciosa de Odón, 28670, Spain.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundGait alterations associated with postural deviations are a significant factor contributing to functional limitations in older adults. Among these, sway-back posture has been linked to chronic low back pain (CLBP), defined as pain persisting for more than three months. This study aimed to analyze ground reaction forces (GRFs), loading and unloading rates, spatiotemporal gait parameters, and the asymmetry index (ASI) in older adults with sway-back posture and CLBP (SBCLBP) without adjusting for walking speed.

methodsA total of 36 older adults were included and categorized into three groups: 12 with SBCLBP, 12 with CLBP without sway-back posture, and 12 without CLBP. GRFs and spatiotemporal gait parameters-including stride time, cadence, stride length, gait speed, and stance phase duration-were recorded for all participants. GRFs were analyzed at the anteroposterior peaks during heel contact (Fx1) and push-off (Fx2) phases, as well as at the vertical force peaks at heel contact (Fy1), mid-stance (Fy2), and push-off (Fy3) phases. Additionally, mediolateral force peaks (Fz) during heel contact were assessed. The ASI was calculated for all participants. Between-group differences were examined using one-way ANOVA and ANCOVA.

resultsCadence, stride length, gait speed, and Fy2 values were significantly lower in the SBCLBP and CLBP groups compared to the control group. Additionally, these parameters were significantly lower in the SBCLBP group than in the CLBP group. However, the loading rate demonstrated greater variability across participants. No significant differences in ASI were observed among the groups.

conclusionsOlder adults with SBCLBP exhibit distinct gait characteristics compared to those with CLBP alone and those without CLBP. These differences may be attributed to structural postural alterations, distinguishing this subgroup from individuals with isolated CLBP. These findings underscore the need for targeted rehabilitation strategies tailored to the specific biomechanical alterations observed in this population. Future research should focus on optimizing intervention protocols to enhance stability and mitigate pain-related gait impairments associated with aging.

trial registrationCurrent Controlled Trials using the UMIN Clinical Trials Registry website with ID number of, UMIN000055653 "Retrospectively registered" at 27/09/2024.

Indexed as

Chronic low back painGaitGrand reaction forcesOlder adultsSpatiotemporalSway-back

Identifiers

PMID40197475
PMCPMC11974159

What OpenQuestion holds

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LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
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Registered trials

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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.