Trunk Muscle Strength, Strength Endurance and Activity in Persons With Low Back Pain

NCT ID: NCT03494452

Last Updated: 2019-09-30

Basic Information

• Recruitment Status: COMPLETED
• Total Enrollment: 36 participants
• Study Classification: OBSERVATIONAL
• Study Start Date: 2017-10-10
• Study Completion Date: 2019-05-31

Brief Summary

The research questions are if persons with low back pain (LBP) have lower trunk muscle strength, lower trunk muscle strength endurance and lower trunk muscle activity than healthy controls and if functional limitations because of LBP are related to the level of muscle strength, strength endurance and activity. To investigate this investigators will carry out a clinical assessment including questionnaires and a biomechanical assessment comprising muscle strength tests, muscle strength endurance tests and electromyographic (EMG) analysis of selected trunk muscles.

Detailed Description

Objectives

The current state of research in the field and of the investigators own clinical experience clearly shows that the role of trunk muscle function in LBP is poorly understood. Investigators will address the following research questions:

• Do persons with LBP have lower trunk muscle strength, lower trunk muscle strength endurance and lower trunk muscle activity than healthy controls?
• Are functional limitations because of LBP related to the level of muscle strength, strength endurance and activity?

To answer these questions, investigators will establish an experimental framework to study limitations in muscle function to address the following aims:

• To compare trunk muscle strength, strength endurance and activity between persons with LBP and healthy control persons.
• To determine the relationship between trunk muscle strength, strength endurance and activity, and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) score.

The experimental setting consists of a clinical assessment using a questionnaire and a biomechanical assessment comprising muscle strength tests, muscle strength endurance tests and electromyographic analysis. Electromyographic activity of selected trunk muscles will be recorded during isokinetic and isometric trunk flexion and extension strength tests and during isometric trunk flexion and extension strength endurance tests.

Hypotheses Investigators hypotheses are that i. persons with LBP have lower trunk muscle strength, strength endurance and activity than healthy controls subjects. ii. the intensity of the EMG signal in lower back muscles decreases faster during the strength endurance test in persons with LBP than in healthy control subjects. iii. clinical scores correlate with trunk muscle strength, strength endurance and activity.

Procedures First, written informed consent will be obtained before participants will undergo a clinical exam (inspection and palpation of the lower back, measurement of active range of motion) performed by a trained physical therapist (PS). All participants will complete questionnaires to obtain pain and functional scores and information on their typical physical activity level (approximate duration: 30 minutes). Bipolar skin electrodes will be placed on selected trunk muscles (approximate duration: 15 minutes) and participants will walk on a treadmill for 10 min (warm-up). Participants will be seated on a strength testing system and practice trunk flexion and extension movements for 1 min. Subsequently, subjects will be asked to perform isokinetic trunk flexion and extension tests at maximum effort. EMG signals of the trunk muscles will be recorded during the maximum isokinetic contractions (approximate duration: 20 minutes). Subsequently, subjects will lie supine on a bench with their legs and pelvis supported by the bench. Their upper legs will be secured to the bench using a 15 cm wide Velcro belt. Subjects will be asked to hold their trunk in a horizontal position as long as possible while EMG signals of the trunk muscles will be recorded (approximate duration: 5 minutes).

Conditions

Low Back Pain

Study Design

• Observational Model Type: COHORT
• Study Time Perspective: CROSS_SECTIONAL

Study Groups

Low back pain - no intervention

Patients who perform sitting occupational activities for at least 4 hours/day and have had low back pain for at least the previous 6 months

No intervention

Intervention Type: OTHER

There is no intervention in this cross-sectional study

Healthy - no intervention

Healthy persons who perform sitting occupational activities for at least 4 hours/day

No intervention

Intervention Type: OTHER

There is no intervention in this cross-sectional study

Interventions

No intervention

There is no intervention in this cross-sectional study

Intervention Type: OTHER

Eligibility Criteria

Inclusion Criteria

• age ≥ 20 years
• age ≤ 55 years
• primarily seated occupational activities for at least 4 hours per working day
• patients:
• low back pain for at least 12 weeks

Exclusion Criteria

• neurological symptoms
• diagnosed spinal damage
• cancer,or infectious diseases that could lead to chronic LBP
• other diseases that could affect physical performance
• surgery for chronic LBP
• pregnancy

• Minimum Eligible Age: 20 Years
• Maximum Eligible Age: 55 Years
• Eligible Sex: ALL
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Sponsors

University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

OTHER

Sponsor Role: lead

Responsible Party

Responsibility Role: SPONSOR

Principal Investigators

Annegret Muendermann, PhD

Role: PRINCIPAL_INVESTIGATOR

University Hospital, Basel, Switzerland

Locations

University Hospital Basel

Basel, Canton of Basel-City, Switzerland

Countries

Switzerland

Other Identifiers

2017-01714

Identifier Type: -

Identifier Source: org_study_id