Health outcomes of backward walking in patients with low back pain: A Scoping review.

Abstract

Abstract: There has been growing interest in clinical use and research in backward walking (BW) exercise intervention in low back pain (LBP) in recent years. Studies have reported wide beneficial and potential positive impact on health related outcomes. This scoping review aimed to explore the health outcomes of BW in LBP and determine knowledge gaps for future studies. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMAScR) guidelines were applied and a systematic literature search was conducted in seven electronic databases. Relevant articles were screened and assessed for eligibility using the Covidence web-based software. Data were extracted, summarized and appraised using the modified version of a Downs and Black checklist and the findings were reported narratively. A total of 3 articles were included in the final analysis of the present study of which 67% were findings India and 33% South America. All included studies revealed evidence of positive impact on physical dimension of health especially, reduction in pain intensity followed by increase in spinal muscle activity, strength and range of motion. None of the studies reported adverse effects. Evidence from this review corroborate that BW can positively impact health related outcomes in LBP. Limitation in literature and lack of strong methodological quality motivate for more and methodologically rigor studies in future research to better understanding the effects on other health dimensions and wider context