Altered response of the anterolateral abdominal muscles to simulated weight-bearing in subjects with low back pain

Hides, J. A., Belavý, D. L., Cassar, L., Williams, M., Wilson, S. J. and Richardson, C. A. (2009) Altered response of the anterolateral abdominal muscles to simulated weight-bearing in subjects with low back pain. European Spine Journal, 18 3: 410-418.


Author Hides, J. A.
Belavý, D. L.
Cassar, L.
Williams, M.
Wilson, S. J.
Richardson, C. A.
Title Altered response of the anterolateral abdominal muscles to simulated weight-bearing in subjects with low back pain
Journal name European Spine Journal  (ERA 2012 Listed)    (ERA 2010 Rank B)   Check publisher's open access policy
Publication date 2009-03
Sub-type Article
Year available 2008
DOI 10.1007/s00586-008-0827-2
Volume number 18
Issue number 3
ISSN 0940-6719
1432-0932
Start page 410
End page 418
Total pages 9
Editor M. Aebi
Place of publication Wien, Austria
Publisher Springer-Verlag
Language eng
Subject C1
920116 Skeletal System and Disorders (incl. Arthritis)
110317 Physiotherapy
1103 Clinical Sciences
Formatted abstract An important aspect of neuromuscular control at the lumbo-pelvic region is stabilization. Subjects with low back pain (LBP) have been shown to exhibit impairments in motor control of key muscles which contribute to stabilization of the lumbo-pelvic region. However, a test of automatic recruitment that relates to function has been lacking. A previous study used ultrasound imaging to show that healthy subjects automatically recruited the transversus abdominis (TrA) and internal oblique (IO) muscles in response to a simulated weight-bearing task. This task has not been investigated in subjects with LBP. The aim of this study was to compare the automatic recruitment of the abdominal muscles among subjects with and without LBP in response to the simulated weight-bearing task. Twenty subjects with and without LBP were tested. Real-time ultrasound imaging was used to assess changes in thickness of the TrA and internal oblique IO muscles as well as lateral movement (“slide”) of the anterior fascial insertion of the TrA muscle. Results showed that subjects with LBP showed significantly less shortening of the TrA muscle (P < 0.0001) and greater increases in thickness of the IO muscle (P = 0.002) with the simulated weight-bearing task. There was no significant difference between groups for changes in TrA muscle thickness (P = 0.055). This study provides evidence of changes in motor control of the abdominal muscles in subjects with LBP. This test may provide a functionally relevant and non-invasive method to investigate the automatic recruitment of the abdominal muscles in people with and without LBP.
© Springer-Verlag 2008
Keyword Low back pain
Ultrasound imaging
Motor control
Weight-bearing
Functional testing
Transversus abdominis muscle
Q-Index Code C1

 
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Created: Wed, 05 Aug 2009, 10:40:32 EST by Meredith Downes on behalf of School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences