| Author: | Auw-Yang, Ching-ngai |
| Title: | Investigating the back muscle fatigue of patients with unilateral chronic low back pain |
| Degree: | M.Sc. |
| Year: | 2007 |
| Subject: | Hong Kong Polytechnic University -- Dissertations. Backache. Back -- Muscles. |
| Department: | Department of Rehabilitation Sciences |
| Pages: | ix 81 leaves : ill. ; 31 cm. |
| Language: | English |
| Abstract: | Greater fatigability of back muscles in patients with back pain has been established in previous studies, but the effect of unilaterality of low back pain on muscle fatigue has not been investigated. The purpose of this study was to compare myoelectric manifestations of longissimus thoracis and multifidus muscle fatigue between symptomatic and asymptomatic sides in patients with chronic unilateral low back pain. Twenty-two patients (mean age = 40.7 years, SD = 8.7, range 23-54) with unilateral chronic low back pain were recruited in the study. Electromyographic (EMG) signals were recorded from the multifidus and longissimus thoracis muscles bilaterally during Biering-S0rensen test (submaximal isometric extension contractions). The rate of decline in median frequency was used to quantify the rate of fatigue for both muscles. The results indicated that there were significantly greater myoelectric manifestations of muscle fatigue of the multifidus muscle ipsilateral to the side of pain. There was no statistical difference in the fatigability of longissimus thoracis between the symptomatic and asymptomatic sides. The study showed that the higher fatigue rate shown in the multifidus muscle on the symptomatic side may be due to the muscle atrophy, change of muscle fiber composition and changes of motor unit recruitment. This suggests a differential effect of pain on muscle function and the need for specificity in the prescription of therapeutic exercise in the management of patients with low back pain. |
| Rights: | All rights reserved |
| Access: | restricted access |
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| File | Description | Size | Format | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| b20902426.pdf | For All Users (off-campus access for PolyU Staff & Students only) | 15.4 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open |
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