Relationship between lumbar range of motion and patients' disability status

The purpose of this study was to determine any association between lumbar range of motion (ROM) and a disability questionnaire in patients with low back pain. The data were obtained from twenty charts of 12 male and 8 female adults, ages 20 to 50 years old, who had physical therapy treatment due to low back pain. The patients completed a Roland Scale questionnaire and the BROM instrument was used to measure frontal and sagittal plane ROM of the lumbar spine. The Pearson Correlation Coefficient between flexion and the Roland Scale was $-$0.19; extension and the Roland Scale, r = $-$0.22; and lateral flexion and the Roland Scale, r = $-$0.31.ThedataanalysisusingthestandardmultipleregressionshowedthatR$\sp2$ =.018 and an adjusted R$\backslash sp2$ =.023, with no significance at the.05 level (p =.36). The results of this study showed no significant correlations between lumbar ROM and the Roland Scale.