RESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate static and dynamic balance tests in single, dual cognitive, and dual manual task conditions in participants with and without nonspecific chronic low back pain. METHODS: In this case control study, 40 patients (age range 18-50 years) with nonspecific chronic low back pain for at least 3 months and 40 healthy participants matched for age, weight, height, and sex participated in this study. Balance performance was evaluated using static (One Leg Stance) and dynamic (Modified Star Excursion Balance Test, 10-m walk test, and Timed Up and Go) balance tests. All tests were performed in three conditions: single task (balance only), dual cognitive task (balance and counting numbers backward), and dual manual task (balance and carrying a cup of water). RESULTS: The results indicated that different balance tests were impaired in dual task conditions compared with single task in each group. Cognitive and balance performances were not significantly different between nonspecific chronic low back pain and healthy participants in all clinical balance tests. CONCLUSION: It seems that the static and dynamic balance performance under dual task conditions (excluding the Modified Star Excursion Balance Test) was impaired in each group. Dual tasking did not differ between nonspecific chronic low back pain participants with low level of pain and disability compared with healthy participants.