Effect of core stability exercises on feed-forward activation of deep abdominal muscles in chronic low back pain: a randomized controlled trial.

Study Design: A randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate feed-forward activation or timing of abdominal muscle activation in response to rapid shoulder flexion after 8 weeks with core stability exercises, sling exercises, or general exercises in chronic nonspecific low back pain (LBP) patients.

Summary Of Background Data: Delayed onset in abdominal muscles has been associated with LBP.

Location and sequence of muscle onset in deep abdominal muscles measured by different modes of ultrasound imaging.

Various modes of ultrasound (US) imaging have been introduced as an alternative to electromyography for determining muscle onset. The purpose of this study was to compare the agreement between US motion-mode (US(m-mode)) and US strain rate (US(SR)) derived from tissue velocity imaging in determining latency time, location and sequence of muscle onset in abdominal muscles using the same data set (contractions). Twenty-four subjects performed four rapid arm flexions in response to a light signal while US recordings were made from the abdominal muscles on the contralateral side.

Onset in abdominal muscles recorded simultaneously by ultrasound imaging and intramuscular electromyography.

Delayed onset of muscle activity in abdominal muscles has been related to low back pain. To investigate this in larger clinical trials it would be beneficial if non-invasive and less cumbersome alternatives to intramuscular electromyography (EMG) were available. This study was designed to compare onset of muscle activity recorded by intramuscular EMG to onset of muscle deformations by ultrasound imaging.

Respiratory and stress-induced activation of low-threshold motor units in the human trapezius muscle.

The study aimed to characterize trapezius motor unit firing pattern in low-amplitude contractions, with emphasis on respiratory modulated activity. Constant-amplitude contractions with shoulder elevation, controlled by feedback of the root mean square detected surface electromyographic (SEMG) signal, typing with arm movement and tasks with mental stress were performed. Single motor unit activity was recorded by a quadrifilar fine-wire electrode.