Functional capacity and its associated factors in the elderly with low back pain

OBJECTIVE To assess the level of functional capacity in subjects aged 60 years and older, who have lower back pain, and its association with demographic, socioeconomic, work-related, lifestyle-related and disease mentioned variables. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted with 246 elderly registered at the Family Health Strategy of Vila São Paulo, Bauru,SP, Brazil, who reported lower back pain and were sampled by a two-stage cluster technique. The subjects were interviewed at home by using a multidimensional instrument (demographic; socioeconomic aspects; life style; work characterization; disease mentioned), and also the IPAQ, the Nordic and the Roland Morris questionnaires. A bivariate and multivariate descriptive logistic regression analysis was carried out. RESULTS The prevalence of lower back pain in men was of 25.1% and in women it was of 35.1%. The mean score in the functional capacity assessment was 10.46 ± 5.62. A fraction of 67.5% of the elderly demonstrated an inappropriate functional capacity. The age group from 70 to 80 years old, the subjects reporting three or more diseases and the sedentary group presented an independent association with inappropriate functional capacity. CONCLUSION The older, sedentary subjects and who reported more than three diseases presented low functional capacity. Level of Evidence III, Cross Sectioning.