THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HAND STRENGTH AND CHRONIC LOW BACK PAIN

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is one of the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorders, often leading to disability and a reduced quality of life. Muscular weakness is considered a key contributing factor to CLBP. Handgrip strength (HGS) is a simple and accessible method that serves as a surrogate marker of overall muscle strength. Objective. To evaluate hand strength and its relationship with clinical indicators associated with chronic low back pain. Materials and Methods The study was conducted in the Rehabilitation Department of the University Clinic at Bogomolets National Medical University and included a survey and physical examination of 109 individuals aged 18 to 60 years. Participants were divided into two groups: apparently healthy individuals and those with CLBP (pain duration >3 months). The survey collected sociodemographic and anthropometric data, and measured HGS, with subsequent calculation of the power index (PI). Subjects with CLBP additionally underwent assessment of pain intensity using the Visual Analog Scale (VAS), bioimpedance analysis of body composition, and evaluation of functional impairment using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The principles of bioethics were taken into account when conducting the research. Descriptive statistics are presented as the mean (µ) and standard deviation (σ) since the data correspond to a normal distribution. To compare the two groups, Student's t-test was used. and Pearson's correlation test with Pearson's criterion (r) was used to assess the linear relationship between quantitative indicators. A value of p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. The study was conducted as part of the research work of the Department of Physical Rehabilitation and Sports Medicine of the Bogomolets National Medical University (NMU), 2024-2026. ‘Comprehensive physical therapy for patients with diseases and injuries of the musculoskeletal system and nervous system’, State registration number: 0124U000230. Results. The analysis of the results of the study of HGS in apparently healthy individuals and those with CLBP revealed a significant reduction in both HGS and PI in women with CLBP (p=0.02, p=0.005), and a decrease in HGS and PI in men with CLBP (p=0.08, p=0.003), respectively. In women with CLBP, a statistically significant average negative correlation was also found between ODI and HGS (r=-0.423, p=0.018), and between ODI and PI (r=-0.473, p=0.005). Among men with CLBP, a statistically significant average negative correlation was found between ODI and HGS (r=-0.522, p=0.015), between ODI and PI (r=-0.579, p=0.006). A statistically significant average positive correlation was found between the HGS and muscle mass percentage in both women and men with CLBP (r=0.394, r=0.412, respectively, p<0.05). Conclusions. Individuals with chronic low back pain exhibit significantly reduced hand strength compared to apparently healthy individuals. Pain intensity, as measured by VAS, demonstrates a weak negative correlation with HGS, while HGS shows a moderate negative correlation with the degree of functional impairment (ODI). Hand strength in patients with CLBP has a positive correlation with muscle mass. The ratio of the HGS to body weight provides a more objective assessment of muscular strength and demonstrates stronger correlations with both VAS and ODI scores.