Table 1 Participant characteristics.
Chronic low back pain (n = 21) | Pain-free controls (n = 21) | p | |
|---|---|---|---|
Mean (SD) | Mean (SD) | ||
Ages (years) | 35.4 (11.0) | 35.6 (11.1) | 0.956 |
Sex (male/female—n) | 10/11 | 10/11 | – |
Height (cm) | 174.0 (10.3) | 172.9 (9.1) | 0.718 |
Weight (kg) | 82.4 (16.9) | 75.8 (18.9) | 0.238 |
Body mass index (kg/cm2) | 27.2 (5.0) | 25.3 (6.1) | 0.270 |
Ethnicity n (%) | |||
Caucasian | 17 (81.0) | 15 (71.4) | 0.304 |
Asian | 2 (9.5) | 6 (28.6) | |
None of the above | 2 (9.5) | – | |
Education n (%) | |||
Year 12 | 4 (19.0) | 1 (4.7) | 0.070 |
TAFE certificate | 7 (33.3) | 3 (14.3) | |
Bachelor degree | 4 (19.0) | 9 (42.9) | |
Postgraduate degree | 4 (19.0) | 8 (38.1) | |
None of the above | 2 (9.5) | – | |
Employment n (%) | |||
Unemployed | 1 (4.8) | – | 0.767 |
Casual | 3 (14.3) | 4 (19.0) | |
Part-time | 5 (23.8) | 5 (23.8) | |
Full-time | 12 (57.1) | 12 (57.1) | |
Smoking status n (%) | |||
Current | 2 (9.5) | 1 (4.7) | 0.080 |
Prior | 4 (19.0) | – | |
Never | 15 (71.4) | 20 (95.2) | |
Handedness n (%) | |||
Left | 2 (9.5) | 4 (19.0) | 0.597 |
Right | 17 (81.0) | 16 (76.2) | |
Ambidextrous | 2 (9.5) | 1 (4.7) | |
Diagnosed depression/anxiety n (%) | |||
Depression | 3 (14.3) | 1 (4.7) | 0.422 |
Anxiety | 4 (19.0) | 3 (14.3) | |
Both | 4 (19.0) | 2 (9.5) | |
Neither | 10 (47.6) | 15 (71.4) | |
Pain duration (months) | 76.2 (96.2) | – | – |
Pain intensity (0–100) | |||
Current | 31.9 (19.8) | – | – |
Last-week average | 38.4 (17.7) | – | – |
Last-week worst | 57.1 (21.1) | – | – |
Oswestry Disability Index (0–100) | 22.9 (11.1) | – | – |
Number of pain sites | |||
Last 7 days | 2.8 (1.9) | 0.3 (0.7) | < 0.001 |
Last 12 months | 5.5 (2.4) | 1.4 (1.4) | < 0.001 |
Activity limiting in last 12 months | 2.1 (1.8) | 0.2 (0.5) | < 0.001 |
Pain medication usage n (%)* | |||
Yes | 11 (52.4) | – | – |
No | 10 (47.6) | – | |
