Immediate changes in trunk muscle activation patterns during a lifting task following an abdominal drawing-in exercise in subjects with recurrent low back pain

Abstract

BACKGROUND: The abdominal drawing-in exercise could help improve delayed transversus abdominis (TrA) activation during limb movement in subjects with recurrent low back pain (rLBP). However, little is known about whether the same effect is observed during lifting tasks in subjects with rLBP. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to clarify whether a single session of abdominal drawing-in exercise could correct the altered trunk muscle activation patterns during a lifting task in subjects with rLBP. METHODS: Fifteen subjects with rLBP performed lifting tasks before and immediately after three sets of 10 repetitions of isolated TrA voluntary contractions. The time of onset and activation amplitude during the lifting tasks were measured by surface electromyography (EMG) and compared between the trials before and immediately after exercise. RESULTS: During lifting, the onset of internal abdominal oblique/TrA (IO/TrA) and multifidus activation occurred earlier, the EMG amplitude of IO/TrA increased, and the EMG amplitude of erector spinae and multifidus decreased, compared with the pre-exercise data. CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest a possibility that the abdominal drawing-in exercise might be effective in improving the muscle recruitment pattern in people with rLBP.

Trunk Muscle Activity and Ratio of Local Muscle to Global Muscle Activity during Supine Bridge Exercises under Unstable Conditions in Young Participants with and without Chronic Low Back Pain

“…Tsao et al reported that motor control exercises changed the onset timing of activity in the transversus abdominis muscle and that the intervention effect persisted 6 months later [ 45 ]. Additionally, the motor control exercise intervention has also been shown to decrease the activity of the global trunk muscle group in trunk active movements, lifting, and trunk external perturbation tasks [ 46 , 47 , 48 ]. Recent randomized control trials have reported that motor control exercise reduces pain intensity and functional impairment in NSCLBP, in addition to changes in the morphology of the trunk local muscle groups [ 49 ].…”

The Application of Surface Electromyography Technology in Evaluating Paraspinal Muscle Function

“…Suehiro et al investigated whether a single session of abdominal drawing-in exercises could rectify the deviant activation patterns of trunk muscles observed during lifting tasks in individuals with recurrent LBP. The findings implied that abdominal drawing-in exercises might be efficacious in enhancing the recruitment pattern of muscles in individuals afflicted with recurrent LBP [ 6 ]. Masaki et al examined the activities of back muscles and sagittal spinal alignment in young males affected by LBP with a history during the performance of quadrupedal unilateral limb extension exercises.…”

“…The paraspinal muscles play a crucial role in maintaining spinal stability, posture, and movement, making them a topic of significant interest and investigation in various fields, including biomechanics, rehabilitation, and sports medicine [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 ]. It was observed that there were some differences in paraspinal muscles among the individuals with LBP, such as the change in cross-sectional surface area and fat infiltration [ 8 , 9 ].…”

“…Surface electromyography (sEMG), a non-invasive technique that captures and analyzes the electrical activity of muscles, has emerged as a powerful tool for investigating muscle function [ 10 , 11 ]. With its ability to measure the electrical signals generated by motor unit activity and the recruitment of muscle fibers, sEMG offers valuable insights into the mechanisms underlying muscle contraction and neuromuscular control [ 6 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. It is utilized not only in healthy populations to evaluate the function and interactions of muscles during functional activities, sports, and exercise but also in clinical populations to comprehend muscle adaptations, dysfunctions, and impairments associated with musculoskeletal injuries, pain, and pathological conditions [ 15 , 16 , 17 , 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 , 22 , 23 ].…”

Diaphragmatic breathing exercises in recovery from fatigue-induced changes in spinal mobility and postural stability: a study protocol

“…Breathing exercises are also effective in the treatment of musculoskeletal complaints, such as low back pain ( Kang et al, 2016 ; Ahmadnezhad et al, 2020 ; Otadi et al, 2021 ). For instance, the activation patterns of trunk muscles change immediately during the lifting task after performing an abdominal drawing-in exercise in subjects with recurrent low back pain ( Suehiro et al, 2021 ). A session of respiratory muscle training can also reduce the activity of some ankle joint muscles while performing overhead squats in athletes with chronic low back pain ( Borujeni and Yalfani, 2020 ).…”