Differences in myoelectric activity of the lumbar muscles between recurrent and chronic low back pain: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background Altered lower back muscle activity is proposed as a contributing factor to the reoccurrence and chronicity of low back pain (LBP). This study compared lumbar muscle activity during trunk extension in patients with continuous chronic LBP (CLBP), non-continuous CLBP, recurrent LBP (RLBP) and healthy subjects. Methods In 75 subjects (16 continuous CLBP, 15 non-continuous CLBP, 23 RLBP, 21 healthy controls), surface electromyographic (EMG) activity of the lumbar erector spinae (ES), multifidus (MF), latissimus dorsi (LD) and gluteus maximus (GM) was recorded during the concentric, holding and eccentric phase of a modified Biering Sorenson exercise. Results Continuous CLBP patients showed higher EMG activity in the ES and MF muscles compared to healthy controls in the concentric (p = 0.011; p = 0.009 respectively) and the holding phase (p = 0.015; p = 0.013). Higher EMG activity was observed in continuous CLBP compared to RLBP in the ES and MF muscles in the holding phase (p = 0.035; p = 0.037), and in the MF in the concentric phase (p = 0.046), but not in the ES (p = 0.062). No differences in muscle activity were established in either the concentric, holding, and eccentric phase for the LD and GM muscles. No differences were found between non-continuous CLBP and the other groups. Conclusions An enhanced muscle activity of the lumbar muscles during the concentric and holding phase was observed during trunk extension in patients with continuous CLBP compared to patients with RLBP and healthy subjects. No differences between groups are present in the GM and LD muscles during concentric and holding phases and for any muscle in the eccentric phase.

The Application of Surface Electromyography Technology in Evaluating Paraspinal Muscle Function

“…Balasch-Bernat et al suggested that patients with continuous chronic LBP exhibited elevated EMG activity in the erector spinae and multifidus muscles during the isometric and concentric phases of back extension exercises, as compared to healthy individuals. This distinction in muscle activity was also present to a lesser degree when compared to patients with recurrent LBP [ 95 ]. Suehiro et al assessed the pattern of trunk muscle activation during the active hip abduction test in the patients with recurrent LBP.…”

Effect Analysis of Wearing an Lumbar Exoskeleton on Coordinated Activities of the Low Back Muscles Using sEMG Topographic Maps

“…In the lifting task, both the vertical coordinate value of CoG (CoGy) in the RMS topographic map and the horizonal coordinate value of CoG (CoGx) in the MDF topographic map significantly moved closer to the center of the map from trial without exoskeleton to trial with exoskeleton. It indicated the activation and coordination of some superficial back and hip muscle groups (the entire erector spinae, part of latissimus dorsi, and part of gluteus maximus) [44] were different in the two tasks when wearing the lumbar exoskeleton. Specifically, the erector spinae played a larger role while wearing the lumbar exoskeleton in the lifting task because the vertical coordinate value of CoG in the RMS topographic map moved downward.…”

Körperliche Inaktivität und Rückenschmerz

“…Das subjektiv empfundene Ausmaß von Angst vor einer Bewegung (FABQ, TSK) hängt mit der per EMG gemessenen Muskelspannung im Rumpf bei Pertubationen von vorne zusammen [75]. Andere Querschnittstudien finden ebenfalls eine höhere Muskelaktivität in Ruhe und in Bewegung bei Personen mit chronischem LBP verglichen mit Gesunden [76].…”