Electromyographic Activity of Posterior Oblique Sling Muscles During Gait in Subjects with Chronic Non-Specific Low Back Pain versus Healthy Controls

Abstract

Objective. To measure the surface electromyographic (EMG) activity of gluteus maximus (GMax) and latissimus dorsi (LD) muscles during walking and to measure the scapular upward rotation at different ranges of shoulder abduction in subjects with chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNSLBP) versus healthy controls. Methods. Twenty-six subjects with unilateral CNSLBP with a mean age (y) of 25.15 ± 4.11 and 26 age-matched healthy controls with mean age (y) of 23.88 ± 2.64 were recruited through direct referrals for this cross-sectional, comparative analysis. EMG activity of the GMax and contralateral LD muscles were recorded during treadmill walking using surface electrodes. Scapular upward rotation was measured using bubble inclinometers at 0°, 45°, 90°, 135°, and end range abduction. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to analyze the difference between the two groups. Results. No statistically significant difference existed between the two groups regarding the recorded EMG activity of GMax and LD muscles during walking. Also, there was no statistically significant difference between the groups in scapular upward rotation measured at the different ranges of shoulder abduction. Conclusions. EMG activity of GMax and LD muscles and scapular upward rotation does not seem to be different between subjects with CNSLBP and healthy controls.

Acute Effect of Static Stretching Duration for Paravertebral Muscles on Lumbar Multifidus Myoelectric Activity: A Crossover Clinical Trial

“…It is assumed, then, that the input produced by stretching modifies the neural drive. Surface electromyography (EMG) is a tool to estimate the level of muscle activation (9,10), as it carries amplitude and frequency contents related to depolarization. Signal's amplitude information works as an indirect measure of muscle activation level, while the signal's frequency spectrum is related to the depolarization frequencies of the MU (11).…”