Association Between Lumbar and Hip Mobility and Disability in Chronic Low Back Pain

Date Posted:

February 2026

Study Title:

The role of spinal and hip mobility in disability among patients with chronic low back pain

Authors:

Schönnagel L, Hoehl B, Mödl L et al.

 

I have always had a clinical bias toward the hips in chronic low back pain cases – I think hip mobility and function is incredibly important for these (and all) patients! This week, a paper that tickles this bias…

In practice, clinicians habitually (and rightly) assess lumbar flexion, extension, and other spinal ranges of motion in low back pain patients, yet often neglect to examine the hip. As a critical junction involved in nearly all common movements and coordinated activities of daily living, the hip is a logical inclusion in a comprehensive biomechanical evaluation. However, the clinical relevance of hip mobility issues, particularly their relationship to patient-reported disability in low back pain, remains unclear.

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the association between lumbar spine and hip mobility measures and disability in individuals with chronic low back pain.