Individuals With Recurrent Low Back Pain Exhibit Significant Changes in Paraspinal Muscle Strength After Intramuscular Fine Wire Electrode Insertion

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

12-28-2019

Publication Title

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

First page number:

1

Last page number:

8

Abstract

Objective:To examine how insertion and presenceof intramuscularfine-wire electromyography electrodes(IFWEs) in lumbar multifidusaffect paraspinal muscle strength, endurance, and activation in persons with and without recurrent lower back pain (RLBP) during activ-ities that require high levels of muscle contraction.Design:Case-control with randomization of conditions.Setting:Clinical research laboratory.Participants:Forty participants age 18 to 40 years were recruited (18 female; mean age = 25.5 years); 20 with a history of RLBP werecompared to a matching control group of 20 without RLBP.Interventions:Each participantwas testedunder three conditions over three sessions. On Session 1,the baseline condition,we assessedmuscle performance without IFWE insertion. On Sessions 2 and 3, participants were randomly alternated between two experimentalconditions: (1) wire-in, in which the IFWE was inserted and remained within the muscle during testing; and (2) wire-out, in which theIFWE was inserted and immediately removed.Main Outcome Measurements:Lumbar spinal extensor peak strength, endurance, and normalized electromyography (EMG) amplitudeduring the endurance test.Results:Individuals with RLBP showed a significant decrease in peak strength during conditions that involved IFWE insertion and tendto experience more pain during muscle testing. Both groups exhibited similar levels of performance and muscle activation during theendurance test.Conclusion:Ourfindings indicate that individuals with RLBPexhibited reduced lumbar extensor strength in response to IFWE insertionto the deep paraspinal muscles. This behavior is different from those without RLBP. Researchers should carefully consider the use ofIFWE in individuals with RLBP during high exertion activities.

Disciplines

Medical Sciences | Medicine and Health Sciences

Language

English

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