Back Pain Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Back Pain, including details on lower back pain, sciatica, treatment, prevention, medication.

Muscle reflex classification of low-back pain.

Reeves NP, Cholewicki J, Milner TE

Department of Kinesiology, Neuromuscular Control Laboratory, Simon Fraser University, Burnaby, BC, Canada V5A 1S6.

It has been well documented that low-back pain (LBP) patients have longer muscle response latencies to perturbation than healthy controls. These muscle responses appear to be reflexive and not voluntary in nature, and as a result, might be useful for objectively classifying LBP. The goal of the study was to develop an objective and accurate method for classifying LBP using a sudden load-release protocol. Subjects were divided into two groups: learning group (20 patients and 20 controls), and holdout group (15 patients and 12 controls). Subjects exerted isometric trunk force against a cable in four different directions. Following cable release, the trunk was suddenly displaced eliciting a muscle reflex response. Reflex latencies for muscles switching-on and shutting-off were determined using electromyogram signals from 8 trunk muscles. Independent t tests were performed on the learning group to determine which reflex parameters were to be entered into logistic regression analysis to produce a classification model. The holdout group was used to validate this classification model. The three-parameter model was able to correctly classify 83% of the learning group, and 81% of the holdout group. Using reflex parameters appears to be an accurate and objective method for classifying LBP.

Published 11 January 2005 in J Electromyogr Kinesiol, 15(1): 53-60.
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