Does Trunk Muscle Weakness Contribute to Low Back Pain?
Previous research emphasizes the stabilizing influence of musculature on spinal structures and the similar role of intra-abdominal pressure produced by muscular activity. These conclusions suggest that patients with low back pain (LBP) will present with weaker trunk muscles than the healthy population. “); //]]>–> However, whether such weakness contributes to LBP has yet to be thoroughly evaluated. A study involving 140 subjects (65 men, 75 women) with no previous treatment for LBP investigated trunk muscle weakness as a possible risk factor. Trunk muscle strength was assessed at baseline and calculated as extension/flexion and left rotation / right rotation ratios. Participants were monitored for five years and subsequently classified into a LBP group (subjects with an experience of LBP) or a non-LBP group (subjects with no experience of LBP during those five years). The LBP group demonstrated lower extension/flexion ratios than the non-LBP group, proving a more sensitive parameter t
