Research Projects

Innovative Diagnostic Method for Back Pain – Focus on Infrared Thermography

As part of his doctoral research, Lukas Verderber is investigating the motor performance, functional limitations, and thermoregulatory responses in adults with non-specific low back pain.

This condition is becoming increasingly prevalent in the population and not only causes individual discomfort but also leads to rising absenteeism and healthcare costs. Traditional diagnostic methods, such as questionnaires or imaging techniques like X-rays or computed tomography, are reaching their limits.

Infrared thermography offers a promising alternative: it is a contactless, portable, and radiation-free method for measuring skin temperature. Therefore, the goal is to evaluate the potential of this method, in combination with biomechanical and subjective approaches, for assessing back pain.

To this end, the first step involved taking infrared images of individuals with and without back pain, particularly in connection with a lifting and lowering task that simulates everyday activities. The subsequent analysis of measurement data before and after the task aims to determine whether there are significant differences in the parameters between the groups.