• Mitsuhiro Masaki, Tome Ikezoe, Ko Yanase, Xiang Ji, Jun Umehara, Junichi Aoyama, Seigo Minami, Yoshihiro Fukumoto, Yuya Watanabe, Misaka Kimura, and Noriaki Ichihashi.
• Department of Physical Therapy.
• Clin Spine Surg. 2019 Aug 1; 32 (7): E346-E352.

Study DesignA cross-sectional study.ObjectiveTo investigate the association of low back pain history (LBPH) and LBP with sagittal spinal alignment, stiffness assessed using ultrasonic shear wave elastography, and mass of the back muscle in community-dwelling middle-aged and elderly women.Summary Of Background DataThe association of LBPH and LBP with sagittal spinal alignment, stiffness, and mass of the back muscles remains unclear in middle-aged and elderly women.Participants And MethodsThe study comprised 19 asymptomatic middle-aged and elderly women [control (CTR) group], 16 middle-aged and elderly women with LBPH (LBPH group), and 23 middle-aged and elderly women with LBP (LBP group). Sagittal spinal alignment in the standing and prone positions (kyphosis angle in the thoracic spine, lordosis angle in the lumbar spine, and anterior inclination angle in the sacrum) was measured using a Spinal Mouse. The stiffness of the back muscles (lumbar erector spinae and multifidus) in the prone position was measured using ultrasonic shear wave elastography. The mass of the back muscles (thoracic and lumbar erector spinae, lumbar multifidus, and quadratus lumborum) was also measured.ResultsMultiple logistic regression analysis with a forward selection method showed that the stiffness of the lumbar multifidus muscle was a significant and independent factor of LBPH. The stiffness of the lumbar multifidus muscle was significantly higher in the LBPH group than in the CTR group. Multiple logistic regression analysis also indicated that lumbar lordosis angle in the standing position was a significant and independent factor of LBP. The lumbar lordosis angle was significantly smaller in the LBP group than in the CTR group.ConclusionsOur results suggest that LBPH is associated with increased stiffness of the lumbar multifidus muscle in the prone position, and that LBP is associated with the decreased lumbar lordosis in the standing position in community-dwelling middle-aged and elderly women.

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