Journal article
Paraspinal Muscle Function Assessed with the Flexion-Relaxation Ratio at Baseline in a Population of Patients with Back-Related Leg Pain
Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics, Vol.34(9), pp.594-601
2011
DOI: 10.1016/j.jmpt.2011.05.008
PMID: 22078998
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess back muscle status at baseline in patients with back-related leg pain (BRLP) and to correlate those findings with baseline demographic and clinical factors.
Surface electromyography (EMG) and electromagnetic motion-tracking detected flexion-relaxation response in 135 patients with BRLP. Surface EMG electrodes were attached with standard skin preparation over the right and left paraspinal muscles at L3. Participants moved from upright standing into full forward flexion, rested flexed for 1 second, and returned to the upright position. A flexion-relaxation ratio (FRR) factor was calculated as the root mean square EMG amplitude during forward flexion divided by the activity at full flexion.
High repeatability was found (intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC]
[1,3] = 0.94 and 0.86) between 3 cycles of assessment at the same session. Patients with BRLP exhibited low FRR values, indicating a loss of the flexion-relaxation response similar to that seen in low back pain patients. Patients with very low FRR had higher Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire scores than the other patients, had increased incidence of straight leg raise test, and had decreased range and rate of forward flexion.
A subgroup of patients with BRLP was identified with very low FRR who exhibited more disability and clinical findings and decreased motion. The use of the inverted FRR factor, expressing muscle activity at the fully flexed and resting position as a percentage of peak activity during flexion, provides more stable numerical behavior and another perspective on interpreting FRRs.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Paraspinal Muscle Function Assessed with the Flexion-Relaxation Ratio at Baseline in a Population of Patients with Back-Related Leg Pain
- Creators
- Edward F Owens - Chiropractor, Minneapolis, MNMaruti Ram Gudavalli - Associate Professor, Palmer Center for Chiropractic Research, Palmer College of Chiropractic, Davenport, IADavid G Wilder - Associate Professor, Biomedical Engineering Department, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Journal of manipulative and physiological therapeutics, Vol.34(9), pp.594-601
- Publisher
- Mosby, Inc
- DOI
- 10.1016/j.jmpt.2011.05.008
- PMID
- 22078998
- ISSN
- 0161-4754
- eISSN
- 1532-6586
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2011
- Academic Unit
- Roy J. Carver Department of Biomedical Engineering; Occupational and Environmental Health
- Record Identifier
- 9984064109002771
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