Joseph N F Mak
ABSTRACT
Among different pathologic conditions that give rise to Low Back Pain (LBP), abnormal back muscle contraction strategy was suspected to be a major contributory factor. However, studies in this area are few. The purposes of this study were to establish a reliable and objective assessment method which provide information on back muscles coordination during dynamic motion, and to testify the possible application of this method in LBP rehabilitation assessment. Back muscle surface electromyography (SEMG) was measured by an array of SEMG electrodes (7x3) during forward bending. The root mean square (RMS) of the SEMG signal was calculated as a function of both position and time to produce the SEMG topography. The SEMG topography of 30 healthy subjects served as the normal database and produced a reproducible activation pattern. SEMG topography of the 5 LBP patients presented varied activation pattern and were different from that of normal pattern. Corrective changes of contraction strategies revealed in SEMG topography patterns were found in some of the LBP patients after rehabilitation. In this study, the effectiveness of LBP rehabilitation was uncovered by SEMG topography, with a visible monitoring of rehabilitation progress. With this method, a practical and objective assessment for LBP rehabilitation is achievable.
- Humphrey AR, Nargol AV, Jones AP, Ratcliffe AA, and Greenough CG. The value of electromyography of the lumbar paraspinal muscles in discriminating between chronic-low-back-pain sufferers and normal subjects. Eur. Spine J. 2005;14:175--84.Google Scholar
- Rucker KS, Cole AJ, Weinstein SM. Low back pain: a symptom-based approach to diagnosis and treatment. Boston: Butterworth-Heinemann, 2001.Google Scholar
- Rzanny R, Grassme R, Reichenbach JR et al. Simultaneous surface electromyograhpy (SEMG) and 31P-MR spectroscopy measurements of the lumbar back muscle during isometric exercise. J. Neurosci. Methods 2004;133:143--52Google Scholar
- Kramer M, Ebert V, Kinzl L, Dehner C, Elbel M, and Hartwig E. Surface electromyography of the paravertebral muscles in patients with chronic low back pain. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2005;86:31--6.Google Scholar
- Perez MA and Nussbaum MA. Lower torso muscle activation patterns for high-magnitude static exertions: gender differences and the effects of twisting. Spine 2002;27:1326--35.Google Scholar
- Santos-Eggimann B, Wietlisbach V, Rickenbach M, Paccaud F, and Gutzwiller F. One-year prevalence of low back pain in two Swiss regions: estimates from the population participating in the 1992--1993 MONICA project. Spine 2000;25:2473--9.Google Scholar
- Waxman R, Tennant A, and Helliwell P. A prospective follow-up study of low back pain in the community. Spine 2000;25:2085--90.Google Scholar
- Arokoski JP, Valta T, Kankaanpaa M, and Airaksinen O. Activation of lumbar paraspinal and abdominal muscles during therapeutic exercises in chronic low back pain patients. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2004;85:823--32.Google Scholar
- Slade SC, Ther MM, and Keating JL. Trunk-strengthening exercises for chronic low back pain: a systematic review. J. Manipulative Physiol Ther. 2006;29:163--73.Google Scholar
- Potvin JR and O'Brien PR. Trunk muscle co-contraction increases during fatiguing, isometric, lateral bend exertions. Possible implications for spine stability. Spine 1998;23:774--80.Google Scholar
- De Luca CJ. "Use of surface EMG signal for performance evaluation of back muscle". Muscle Nerve 1993; 16:210--6Google ScholarCross Ref
- Roy SH, De Luca CJ, Emley M, Buijs RJC. "Spectral electromyographic assessment of back muscles in patients with low back pain undergoing rehabilitation". Spine 1995; 20(1):38--48Google ScholarCross Ref
- G. Waddell, "The Back Pain Revolution", Churchill Livingstone, Edinburgh, 1998.Google Scholar
- Lu WW, Luk KD, Cheung KM, Wong YW, Leong JC. "Back muscle contraction patterns of patients with low back pain before and after rehabilitation treatment: an electromyographic evaluation". J Spinal Disord. 2001 Aug;14(4):277--82.Google Scholar
- Newcomer KL, Jacobson TD, Gabriel DA, Larson DR, Brey RH, An KN. Muscle activation patterns in subjects with and without low back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2002 Jun;83(6):816--21.Google Scholar
- Hogrel JY. Clinical applications of surface electromyography in neuromuscular disorders. Neurophysiol. Clin. 2005;35:59--71.Google Scholar
- Arokoski JP, Valta T, Kankaanpaa M, and Airaksinen O. Activation of lumbar paraspinal and abdominal muscles during therapeutic exercises in chronic low back pain patients. Arch. Phys. Med. Rehabil. 2004;85:823--32.Google Scholar
- Newcomer KL, Jacobson TD, Gabriel DA, Larson DR, Brey RH, An KN. Muscle activation patterns in subjects with and without low back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 2002 Jun;83(6):816--21.Google Scholar
- Nouwen A, Bush C. The relationship between paraspinal EMG and chronic low back pain. Pain. 1984 Oct;20(2):109--23.Google Scholar
- Watson PJ, Booker CK, Main CJ, Chen AC. Surface electromyography in the identification of chronic low back pain patients: the development of the flexion relaxation ratio. Clin Biomech (Bristol, Avon). 1997 Apr;12(3):165--171.Google Scholar
- Janda V: Muscles, central nervous motor regulation and back problems. The Neurobiologic Mechanisms in Manipulative Therapy. Edited by JM Korr. New York, Plenum Press, 1977, pp 21--41Google Scholar
- Wolf SL, Basmajian JV: Assessment of paraspinal electromyographic activity in normal subjects and in chronic back pain patients using a muscle biofeedback device. International Series in Biomechanics Vib. Edited by E Asmussen, K Jorgensen, Baltimore University Park Press. 1977, pp 319--324Google Scholar
- Wolf SL, Nacht M, Kelly JL: EMG biofeedback training during dynamic movement for low back pain patients. BehavTher 13:395--406, 1982Google Scholar
Index Terms
- Surface EMG topography: a new assessment tool in low back pain rehabilitation
Recommendations
Analysis of neuromuscular disorders using statistical and entropy metrics on surface EMG
This paper introduces the surface electromyogram (EMG) classification system based on statistical and entropy metrics. The system is intended for diagnostic use and enables classification of examined subject as normal, myopathic or neuropathic, ...
Validation of trunk kinematics analysis through serious games rehabilitation exercises using the Kinect™ sensor
REHAB '16: Proceedings of the 4th Workshop on ICTs for improving Patients Rehabilitation Research TechniquesLow Back Pain (LBP) is one of the most frequent musculoskeletal pathology. There is, currently, a lack of affordable and easy to use assessment tool for these patients. For the moment such kind of evaluation tool are limited to gait analysis center. ...
Communication Tool for Disabled People Based on Surface Electromyography
ICMHI '20: Proceedings of the 4th International Conference on Medical and Health InformaticsSurface electromyography is a non-invasive method, which can be used not only for measuring and detecting abnormalities in the human body but also to create biofeedback in rehabilitation. This biofeedback can connect rehabilitation and computer science. ...
Comments