Biomechanical and functional effects of abdominal obesity on activities of daily living in individuals with low back pain

Striking statistics on the prevalence of low back pain among the population are negatively reflected in the medical, insurance and pension statistics of the countries of in the civilised world, as well as in international legal acts on health care. It has been established that a high body mass index is one of the provoking risk factors for low back pain. This has been confirmed by a number of studies which demonstrate significant association between low back pain development and abdominal obesity. Based on the findings of these studies, researchers conclude that abdominal obesity is an independent risk factor for low back pain. This article is an overview of the current theories of the identification and explanation of bio-mechanical and functional roles of abdominal obesity in the low back pain development. Approach. Theoretical methods of systematisation, explanation, and generalisation of recent theories of identification and explanation of bio- mechanical and functional roles of abdominal obesity in the development of low back pain were used. Purpose. Analysis and description of potential gaps in modern theories of identification and explanation of the bio- mechanical role of abdominal obesity in the development of low back pain. Filling in these gaps would contribute to extend existing recommendations for low back pain therapy. Results. There are only a few studies on the musculoskeletal characteristics developed as a result of the significant association between low back pain development and abdominal obesity. Existing knowledge on the identification and explanation of bio-mechanical role of abdominal obesity in the low back pain development, description and evaluation of the movement patterns of people with low back pain and abdominal obesity, and their characteristics compared to the movement patterns of healthy adults need to be supplemented by new data. Conclusions. A study of the mechanisms of behaviour of the musculoskeletal structures, investigation of their function, postural tone, proper activation-deactivation patterns during performance of various daily basic and complex movements in adults with abdominal obesity and low back pain will qualitatively extend the existing recommendations for the low back pain therapy.