Human movement science
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Human movement science · Jun 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialReorganised motor control strategies of trunk muscles due to acute low back pain.
This study assessed how the low back motor control strategies were affected by experimental pain. In twelve volunteers the right m. longissimus was injected by hypertonic and isotonic (control) saline. The pain intensity was assessed on a visual analog scale (VAS). ⋯ Experimental low back pain reduced the EMG activity bilaterally of the rectus abdominis muscles during contractions at 10% and 20% MVC (P<.01) although force accuracy and tangential force variability was not affected. Increased variability in the tangential force composition was found during pain compared with the non-painful condition (P<.05). The immediate adaptation to pain was sufficient to maintain the quality of the task performance; however the long-term consequence of such adaptation is unknown and may overload other structures.