Neuromuscular control strategies of the trunk antagonist muscles during the Biering-Sorensen test in individuals with recurrent low back pain and healthy subjects

Abstract OBJECTIVES To compare the activation pattern of the trunk antagonistic muscles and also the myoelectric manifestations of muscle fatigue between subjects with and without recurrent non-specific low back pain, during the fatigue provocation of the erector spinae. METHODS The study involved 19 subjects with recurrent low back pain with a non-specific cause (seven men, 12 women, 38.53 ± 8.12 years, 68.35 ± 18.12 kg, 1.66 ± 0.09 m), and 19 healthy subjects (seven men, 12 women, 40.42 ± 8.63 years, 69.57 ± 12.76 kg, 1.64 ± 0.07 m). The electromyographic signal of the internal oblique, lumbar multifidus, rectus abdominis and lumbar iliocostalis muscles, bilateral, were collected during Biering-Sorensen test execution. RESULTS The group with low back pain showed a lower co-contraction rate of the internal oblique/lumbar multifidus (p = 0.006) and lower activation amplitude of the internal oblique (p = 0.019), both on the right side when compared to the group without low back pain. No differences were observed between the groups for muscle fatigue indicators (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION When the erector spine muscle fatigue occurs - even when the groups were similar as to the ability of extensors muscles to resist fatigue - differences were found between subjects with and without low back pain regarding the recruitment pattern of the task antagonist muscle, because subjects with low back pain showed lesser activation and co-contraction in relation to the healthy group.

摘要

研究目的：对比伴与不伴复发性非特异性下腰痛（recurrent non-specific low back pain）受试者在竖脊肌（erector spinae）疲劳诱发过程中，躯干拮抗肌的激活模式与肌肉疲劳的肌电表现差异。

研究方法：本研究纳入19例复发性非特异性下腰痛受试者（男7例、女12例，年龄38.53±8.12岁，体质量68.35±18.12kg，身高1.66±0.09m），以及19例健康对照受试者（男7例、女12例，年龄40.42±8.63岁，体质量69.57±12.76kg，身高1.64±0.07m）。在执行Biering-Sorensen测试（Biering-Sorensen Test）期间，采集双侧腹内斜肌（internal oblique）、腰多裂肌（lumbar multifidus）、腹直肌（rectus abdominis）及腰髂肋肌（lumbar iliocostalis）的肌电信号（electromyographic signal）。

研究结果：相较于健康对照组，下腰痛组右侧腹内斜肌与腰多裂肌的共同收缩率更低（p=0.006），且右侧腹内斜肌的激活幅度更小（p=0.019）；两组间肌肉疲劳相关指标未观察到显著差异（p>0.05）。

研究结论：当竖脊肌出现疲劳时——即便两组的伸肌抗疲劳能力无显著差异——伴与不伴下腰痛的受试者在任务拮抗肌的募集模式上仍存在显著差异：下腰痛组相较于健康对照组，其拮抗肌的激活程度与共同收缩水平均更低。