Non-Specific Chronic Back Pain; Insight From Spatial Aspects of Lumbar Spinal Muscle Activation

NON-SPECIFIC CHRONIC BACK PAIN; INSIGHT FROM SPATIAL ASPECTS OF LUMBAR SPINAL MUSCLE ACTIVATION

There is evidence for altered muscle activity patterns in individuals with non-specific chronic back pain (NSCBP). It is unknown why these alterations in activation pattern occur and how they may be linked to pain experience and to the development of CNSBP. The main objective of this study is to investigate the spatial aspects of muscle activation in relation to fatigue/endurance and CNSBP. A novel approach, utilizing a new multi-channel surface-EMG (MCsEMG) technique will be applied in this project to get insight in fundamental mechanisms related to motor control and fatigue/endurance. In this project data from healthy persons and from patients with NSCBP will be collected and analyzed. NSCBP patients will be compared to healthy persons. To minimize heterogeneity between groups the subject's age range will be from 30 - 50 years. The investigators main hypothesis is that motor control mechanisms of the lumbar muscles are disturbed in NSCBP patients compared to normals, explaining the reduced tolerance for static postures. There has been little investigation of the lumbar musculature with MCsEMG recordings. The lumbar musculature has a complex organization; many, relatively small muscles, in a restricted area. Utilizing two HDsEMG grids with 252 Ag/AgCl contacts will be the superior non-invasive method to investigate motor control mechanisms in this region, and further the investigators understanding of neuromuscular adaptations related to NSCBP. The project may demonstrate changes that will lead us to new insight and new strategies for the treatment of back pain.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Low Back Pain

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 57

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Norway
  • Stavern, Norway, 3291
    • Vestfold Hospital Trust, Kysthospitalet

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: 30 years to 50 years (Adult)
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Genders Eligible for Study: All

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

Chronic non-spesific low back pain and healthy control subjects

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients
• diagnosed with chronic NSCBP >3 months duration
• healthy controls
• no back pain.

Exclusively exclusion criteria for this group will be back pain in the previous year or back pain lasting longer than one week in previous 3 years.

Exclusion Criteria:

• anamnesis of medical or drug abuse
• surgery on the musculoskeletal system of the trunk
• known congenital malformation of the spine or scoliosis
• body mass index >27 kg/m2
• systemic-neurological-degenerative disease
• history of stroke
• psychiatric disorder
• pregnancy and abnormal blood pressure.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Oslo University Hospital
• Investigators: Study Chair: Aage Indahl, Phd

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start: September 1, 2009
• Primary Completion (Actual): January 1, 2014
• Study Completion (Actual): August 1, 2014

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: October 1, 2010
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: October 1, 2010
• First Posted (Estimate): October 4, 2010

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimate): September 27, 2016
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 26, 2016
• Last Verified: September 1, 2016

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Pain; Neurologic Manifestations; Back Pain; Low Back Pain
• Other Study ID Numbers: MULTI2009