Understanding low back pain in traumatic lower limb amputees: a systematic review

Objective: This systematic review aims to evaluate current literature for the prevalence, causes and effect of low back pain (LBP) in traumatic lower limb amputees, specifically its association with the kinematics and kinetics of the lumbar spine and lower extremities. Data Sources: Databases (EMBASE, MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, and PsycINFO) were searched systematically for eligible studies from inception to January 2018. Study Selection: The inclusion terms were synonyms of ‘low back pain’, ‘lower limb amputation’, and ‘trauma’, whilst studies involving non-traumatic amputee populations, single cases or reviews were excluded. 1822 studies were initially identified, of which 44 progressed to full-text reading, and 11 studies were included in the review. Data Extraction: Two independent reviewers reviewed the included studies, which were evaluated using a quality assessment tool and the GRADE system for risk of bias, prior to analysing results and conclusions. Data Synthesis: There was a LBP prevalence of 52–64% in traumatic amputees, compared to the 48–77% in the general amputee population (predominantly vascular, tumour and trauma), attributed to a mixture of biomechanical, psycho-social and personal factors. These factors determined the presence, frequency and severity of the pain in the amputees, significantly impacting on their quality of life. However, little evidence was available on causality. Conclusion: The high prevalence of LBP in traumatic amputees highlights the necessity to advance research into the underlying mechanics behind LBP, specifically the spinal kinematics and kinetics. This may facilitate improvements in rehabilitation, with the potential to improve quality of life in traumatic amputees