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Medicine Oct 2017Nonspecific low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal problem that is intensified during physical activity. Patients with LBP have been reported to change their...
Nonspecific low back pain (LBP) is a common musculoskeletal problem that is intensified during physical activity. Patients with LBP have been reported to change their abdominal muscle activity during walking; however, the effects of pain intensity, disability level, and fear-avoidance belief on this relationship have not been evaluated. Thus, we compared abdominal muscle activity in patients with LBP and asymptomatic controls, and assessed the impact of pain intensity, disability level, and fear-avoidance belief.Thirty patients with LBP divided into groups reporting low (LLBP) and high-pain intensity low back pain (HLBP), and 15 participants without LBP were recruited. LBP patients' self-reported pain intensity, disability, and fear-avoidance belief were recorded. To examine abdominal muscle activity (rectus abdominis [RA], internal [IO], and external oblique [EO] muscles) during walking, all subjects walked at a self-selected speed. Abdominal muscle activity (RA, IO, and EO) was compared among groups (LLBP, HLBP, and controls) in different phases of walking (double support vs swing). Relationships between abdominal muscle activity and clinical measures (pain intensity, disability, fear-avoidance belief) were analyzed using partial correlation analysis.Right IO muscle activity during walking was significantly decreased in LLBP and HLBP compared with controls in certain walking phase. Partial correlation coefficients showed significant correlations between fear-avoidance belief and right EO activity (r = .377, P < .05) and between disability index and left IO activity (r = .377, P < .05) in patients with LBP. No significant difference was found in abdominal muscle activity in walking between patients with LLBP and HLBP (P > .05).This study demonstrated decreased IO muscle activity during certain walking phases in LLBP and HLBP compared with asymptomatic participants. Although altered IO muscle activity during walking was observed in patients with LBP, no changes were found with other abdominal muscles (EO, RA). Thus, these results provide useful information about abdominal muscle activity during walking in patients with LBP.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Adult; Avoidance Learning; Case-Control Studies; Cross-Sectional Studies; Fear; Female; Humans; Low Back Pain; Male; Muscle Contraction; Pain Measurement; Walking; Young Adult
PubMed: 29049215
DOI: 10.1097/MD.0000000000008250 -
International Journal of Environmental... Apr 2021The abdominal expansion (AE) strategy, involving eccentric contraction of the abdominal muscles, has been increasingly used in clinical practices; however, its effects...
Abdominal Expansion versus Abdominal Drawing-In Strategy on Thickness and Electromyography of Lumbar Stabilizers in People with Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Cross-Sectional Study.
The abdominal expansion (AE) strategy, involving eccentric contraction of the abdominal muscles, has been increasingly used in clinical practices; however, its effects have not been rigorously investigated. This study aimed to investigate the immediate effects of the AE versus abdominal drawing-in (AD) strategy on lumbar stabilization muscles in people with nonspecific low back pain (LBP). Thirty adults with nonspecific LBP performed the AE, AD, and natural breathing (NB) strategies in three different body positions. Ultrasonography and surface electromyography (EMG) were, respectively, used to measure the thickness and activity of the lumbar multifidus and lateral abdominal wall muscles. The AE and AD strategies showed similar effects, producing higher EMG activity in the lumbar multifidus and lateral abdominal wall muscles when compared with the NB strategy. All muscles showed higher EMG activity in the quiet and single leg standing positions than in the lying position. Although the AE and AD strategies had similar effects on the thickness change of the lumbar multifidus muscle, the results of thickness changes of the lateral abdominal muscles were relatively inconsistent. The AE strategy may be used as an alternative method to facilitate co-contraction of lumbar stabilization muscles and improve spinal stability in people with nonspecific LBP.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Adult; Cross-Sectional Studies; Electromyography; Humans; Low Back Pain; Lumbosacral Region; Ultrasonography
PubMed: 33922598
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18094487 -
International Journal of Environmental... Mar 2021Abdominal Hypopressive Training (AHT) provides postural improvement, and enhances deep trunk muscle activation. However, until recently, there was a lack of scientific... (Randomized Controlled Trial)
Randomized Controlled Trial
BACKGROUND
Abdominal Hypopressive Training (AHT) provides postural improvement, and enhances deep trunk muscle activation. However, until recently, there was a lack of scientific literature supporting these statements. The major purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of AHT on posture control and deep trunk muscle function.
METHODS
125 female participants aged 18-60 were randomly allocated to the Experimental Group (EG), consisting of two sessions of 30 min per week for 8 weeks of AHT, or the Control Group (CG), who did not receive any treatment. Postural control was measured with a stabilometric platform to assess the static balance and the activation of deep trunk muscles (specifically the Transverse Abdominal muscle (TrA)), which was measured by real-time ultrasound imaging.
RESULTS
The groups were homogeneous at baseline. Statistical differences were identified between both groups after intervention in the Surface of the Center of Pressure (CoP) Open-Eyes (S-OE) ( = 0.001, Cohen's d = 0.60) and the Velocity of CoP under both conditions; Open-Eyes (V-OE) ( = 0.001, Cohen´s d = 0.63) and Close-Eyes (V-CE) ( = 0.016, Cohen´s d = 0.016), with the EG achieving substantial improvements. Likewise, there were statistically significant differences between measurements over time for the EG on S-OE ( < 0.001, Cohen´s d = 0.99); V-OE ( = 0.038, Cohen´s d = 0.27); V-CE ( = 0.006, Cohen´s d = 0.39), anteroposterior movements of CoP with Open-Eyes (RMSY-OE) ( = 0.038, Cohen´s d = 0.60) and activity of TrA under contraction conditions ( < 0.001, Cohen´s d = 0.53).
CONCLUSIONS
The application of eight weeks of AHT leads to positive outcomes in posture control, as well as an improvement in the deep trunk muscle contraction in the female population.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Adolescent; Adult; Female; Humans; Middle Aged; Muscle Contraction; Muscle, Skeletal; Postural Balance; Torso; Young Adult
PubMed: 33800428
DOI: 10.3390/ijerph18052741 -
The Anatomical Record Aug 1999Numerous reports have discussed the use of the external oblique abdominal muscle as a pedicled or a free flap for defect coverage. A detailed description of the...
Numerous reports have discussed the use of the external oblique abdominal muscle as a pedicled or a free flap for defect coverage. A detailed description of the supplying vessels and nerves is a prerequisite for successful tissue transfer but so far is not available in the literature. A study of the arteries and nerves supplying the external oblique abdominal muscle was carried out in 42 cadavers after injection of a mixture of latex and bariumsulfate. In seven fresh cadavers the motor branches were identified with the Karnovsky technique. Three different groups of arteries were identified as the nurturing vessels. The cranial part of the muscle is supplied by two branches of the intercostal arteries. While the lateral branches run on the outer surface of the muscle together with the nerves, the anterior branches enter the muscle from its inner surface. The caudal part of the muscle derives its main blood supply from one or two branches of the deep circumflex iliac artery (94.7%) or the iliolumbar artery (5.3%). The external oblique abdominal muscle is innervated by motor branches of the lateral cutaneous branches of the anterior spinal nerves in a segmental pattern. With the exception of the subcostal nerve the motor branches enter the outer surface of the muscle digitation arising from the rib above. The results show that the cranial half of the external oblique abdominal muscle has a strictly segmental blood and nerve supply while the caudal half of the muscle derives its main blood supply from one artery but still shows a segmental innervation.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Arteries; Female; Humans; Iliac Artery; Male; Spinal Nerves; Surgical Flaps
PubMed: 10409811
DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-0185(19990801)255:4<388::AID-AR4>3.0.CO;2-Q -
Journal of Neuroengineering and... Feb 2016Targeted activation of the transversus abdominis (TrA) muscle through the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) is a frequently prescribed exercise for the prevention and...
BACKGROUND
Targeted activation of the transversus abdominis (TrA) muscle through the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) is a frequently prescribed exercise for the prevention and rehabilitation of low back pain. However, there is still debate over the role the ADIM plays in maintaining a stable spine during movement. Thus, a single cohort pre/post-intervention protocol was used to examine whether 5 min of ADIM training prior to a dynamic movement task alters dynamic spine stability and control.
METHODS
Thirteen healthy participants performed a repetitive spine flexion task twice, once before and once after they received biofeedback training on how to correctly perform the ADIM in standing. Abdominal and back muscle activation (indwelling and surface electromyography, EMG) and 3D kinematic data were recorded during all trials. EMG activation (percent maximum) and local dynamic stability of spine movement [maximum finite-time Lyapunov exponent (λmax)] were compared before and after the training using Friedman's rank test and repeated-measures ANOVA, respectively. To assess the moderating effects of absolute changes in EMG (∆EMG) of each muscle after training on changes in stability, the ∆EMG (peak and mean) were added to the ANOVA as separate covariates (ANCOVA).
RESULTS
Following ADIM training, there were greater peak and mean levels of activation in all tested abdominal muscles, including TrA, (p < 0.05), but not in the back muscles. The ANOVA showed no significant change in λmax following training (p = 0.633). However, after considering the moderating effects of the ∆EMG seen in each muscle with training, it was found that only changes in TrA EMG significantly influenced stability. The ANCOVA revealed a significant main effect of training on stability as well as a significant interaction effect between training and ∆EMG recorded from TrA (p < 0.05); those with larger increases in TrA activation demonstrated larger improvements in stability.
CONCLUSION
As a group, 5 min of ADIM training did not change spine stability during dynamic movement. However, those who were most successful in improving TrA activation with a 5-min ADIM training session showed the greatest improvements in local dynamic spine stability after training. As such, dynamic spine stability in some individuals may benefit from ADIM training.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Adult; Back Muscles; Biofeedback, Psychology; Biomechanical Phenomena; Cohort Studies; Electromyography; Female; Humans; Male; Muscle Contraction; Physical Education and Training; Spine
PubMed: 26922079
DOI: 10.1186/s12984-016-0126-9 -
Clinics (Sao Paulo, Brazil) 2019There is an ongoing discussion regarding abdominal muscle (AbM) and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) synergism. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the cocontraction... (Meta-Analysis)
Meta-Analysis
There is an ongoing discussion regarding abdominal muscle (AbM) and pelvic floor muscle (PFM) synergism. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the cocontraction between AbMs and PFMs in women with or without pelvic floor dysfunction (PFD). The following databases were searched up to December 21, 2018: MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, PEDro and CENTRAL. We included any study that assessed the cocontraction between PFMs and AbMs in women with and without PFD. Two reviewers independently screened eligible articles and extracted data. The outcomes were extracted and analyzed as continuous variables with random effect models. Twenty studies were included. A meta-analysis did not show differences in women with and without PFD. However, a sensitivity analysis suggested cocontraction of the transversus abdominis (TrA) during PFM contraction in healthy women (standardized mean difference (SMD) -1.02 [95% confidence interval (CI) -1.90 to -0.14], P=0.02; I2= not applicable; very low quality of evidence). Women with PFD during contraction of PFMs showed cocontraction of the obliquus internus (OI) (SMD 1.10 [95% CI 0.27 to 1.94], P=0.01; I2= not applicable; very low quality of evidence), and obliquus externus (OE) (SMD 2.08 [95% CI 1.10 to 3.06], P<0.0001; I2 = not applicable; very low quality of evidence). Increased cocontraction of the TrA may be associated with maximal contraction of PFMs in women without PFD. On the other hand, there is likely an increased cocontraction with the OI and OE in women with PFD.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Female; Humans; Muscle Contraction; Observational Studies as Topic; Pelvic Floor; Pelvic Floor Disorders
PubMed: 31778432
DOI: 10.6061/clinics/2019/e1319 -
Journal of Applied Physiology... Jul 2014Although rats are a frequent model for studies of plasticity in respiratory motor control, the relative capacity of rat accessory respiratory muscles to express...
UNLABELLED
Although rats are a frequent model for studies of plasticity in respiratory motor control, the relative capacity of rat accessory respiratory muscles to express plasticity is not well known, particularly in unanesthetized animals. Here, we characterized external intercostal (T2, T4, T5, T6, T7, T8, T9 EIC) and abdominal muscle (external oblique and rectus abdominis) electromyogram (EMG) activity in unanesthetized rats via radiotelemetry during normoxia (Nx: 21% O2) and following acute intermittent hypoxia (AIH: 10 × 5-min, 10.5% O2; 5-min intervals). Diaphragm and T2-T5 EIC EMG activity, and ventilation were also assessed during maximal chemoreceptor stimulation (
MCS
7% CO2, 10.5% O2) and sustained hypoxia (SH: 10.5% O2). In Nx, T2 EIC exhibits prominent inspiratory activity, whereas T4, T5, T6, and T7 EIC inspiratory activity decreases in a caudal direction. T8 and T9 EIC and abdominal muscles show only tonic or sporadic activity, without consistent respiratory activity. MCS increases diaphragm and T2 EIC EMG amplitude and tidal volume more than SH (0.94 ± 0.10 vs. 0.68 ± 0.05 ml/100 g; P < 0.001). Following AIH, T2 EIC EMG amplitude remained above baseline for more than 60 min post-AIH (i.e., EIC long-term facilitation, LTF), and was greater than diaphragm LTF (41.5 ± 1.3% vs. 19.1 ± 2.0% baseline; P < 0.001). We conclude that 1) diaphragm and rostral T2-T5 EIC muscles exhibit inspiratory activity during Nx; 2) MCS elicits greater ventilatory, diaphragm, and rostral T2-T5 EIC muscle activity vs. SH; and 3) AIH induces greater rostral EIC LTF than diaphragm LTF.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Animals; Chemoreceptor Cells; Diaphragm; Electromyography; Hypoxia; Intercostal Muscles; Male; Phrenic Nerve; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Respiration; Respiratory Mechanics; Respiratory Muscles; Tidal Volume
PubMed: 24833779
DOI: 10.1152/japplphysiol.00130.2014 -
Minerva Anestesiologica Aug 2019This study investigated the effect of ropivacaine on uterine and abdominal muscle electromyographic activity during the second stage of labor.
BACKGROUND
This study investigated the effect of ropivacaine on uterine and abdominal muscle electromyographic activity during the second stage of labor.
METHODS
A total of 161 patients, including 48 patients receiving 0.0625% ropivacaine for patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA), 64 patients receiving 0.0625% levobupivacaine for PCEA, and 49 patients with no PCEA completed the study. Uterine and abdominal muscle electromyographic activity was continuously recorded from the abdominal surface during the second stage of labor. Maternal demographic and clinical characteristics, maternal and neonatal outcomes, and various electromyographic parameters were recorded.
RESULTS
Second stage of labor was significantly prolonged (P=0.007) for levobupivacaine compared to ropivacaine or no PCEA. The root-mean-square and duration of uterine muscle electromyographic activity was significantly lower for levobupivacaine or ropivacaine compared to no PCEA. The root-mean-square and power of abdominal muscle electromyographic activity was significantly lower for levobupivacaine compared to ropivacaine or no PCEA; the peak frequency of abdominal muscle electromyographic activity was significantly higher for ropivacaine. Visual analogue scale pain scores in patients in the levobupivacaine group or ropivacaine group decreased significantly over time compared to patients in the no PCEA group.
CONCLUSIONS
In conclusion 0.0625% ropivacaine does not suppress abdominal muscle electromyographic activity during the second stage of labor. Maternal and neonatal outcomes were similar in patients receiving ropivacaine or no PCEA.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Adult; Analgesia, Epidural; Analgesia, Obstetrical; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; Anesthetics, Local; Delivery, Obstetric; Electromyography; Female; Humans; Infant, Newborn; Labor Stage, Second; Levobupivacaine; Myometrium; Pain Measurement; Pregnancy; Pregnancy Outcome; Retrospective Studies; Ropivacaine
PubMed: 31106551
DOI: 10.23736/S0375-9393.19.13246-4 -
Medical Physics May 2022Skeletal muscle segmentation is an important procedure for assessing sarcopenia, an emerging imaging biomarker of patient frailty. Data annotation remains the bottleneck...
BACKGROUND
Skeletal muscle segmentation is an important procedure for assessing sarcopenia, an emerging imaging biomarker of patient frailty. Data annotation remains the bottleneck for training deep learning auto-segmentation models.
PURPOSE
There is a need to define methodologies for applying models to different domains (e.g., anatomical regions or imaging modalities) without dramatically increasing data annotation.
METHODS
To address this problem, we empirically evaluate the generalizability of various source tasks for transfer learning: natural image classification, natural image segmentation, unsupervised image reconstruction, and self-supervised jigsaw solving. Axial CT slices at L3 were extracted from PET-CT scans for 204 oesophago-gastric cancer patients and the skeletal muscle manually delineated by an expert. Features were transferred and segmentation models trained on subsets ( ) of the manually annotated training set. Four-fold cross-validation was performed to evaluate model generalizability. Human-level performance was established by performing an inter-observer study consisting of ten trained radiographers.
RESULTS
We find that accurate segmentation models can be trained on a fraction of the data required by current approaches. The Dice similarity coefficient and root mean square distance-to-agreement were calculated for each prediction and used to assess model performance. Models pre-trained on a segmentation task and fine-tuned on 10 images produce delineations that are comparable to those from trained observers and extract reliable measures of muscle health.
CONCLUSIONS
Appropriate transfer learning can generate convolutional neural networks for abdominal muscle segmentation that achieve human-level performance while decreasing the required data by an order of magnitude, compared to previous methods ( ). This work enables the development of future models for assessing skeletal muscle at other anatomical sites where large annotated data sets are scarce and clinical needs are yet to be addressed.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Humans; Image Processing, Computer-Assisted; Machine Learning; Neural Networks, Computer; Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography
PubMed: 35170063
DOI: 10.1002/mp.15533 -
Medicine and Science in Sports and... Jul 2018Skeletal muscle is the largest regulator of glucose metabolism, but few population-based studies have examined the associations between muscle and inflammation. We...
PURPOSE
Skeletal muscle is the largest regulator of glucose metabolism, but few population-based studies have examined the associations between muscle and inflammation. We studied the relationships between abdominal muscle area and density with selected adiposity-associated inflammatory mediators.
METHODS
Nearly 2000 subjects underwent computed tomography of the abdomen and had venous fasting blood drawn concomitantly. The computed tomography scans were interrogated for visceral and subcutaneous fat, as well as abdominal lean muscle areas and densities. We then categorized the muscle into locomotion (psoas) and stabilization (rectus, obliques, and paraspinal) groups. Blood samples were assayed for interleukin-6 (IL-6), resistin, C-reactive protein, and TNF-α.
RESULTS
The mean age was 64.7 yr, and 49% were female. Forty percent were white, 26% Hispanic/Latino American, 21% African American, and 13% Chinese American. The mean body mass index was 28.0 kg·m, and 30% were obese (body mass index, >30 kg·m). Using multivariable linear regression models that included adjustment for abdominal muscle area, a 1-SD increment in the mean densities for total, stabilization, and locomotive abdominal muscle were each significantly associated with lower levels of IL-6 (β = -15%, -15%, and -9%, P < 0.01 for all) and resistin (β = -0.11, -0.11, and -0.07 ng·mL, P < 0.02 for all), but not C-reactive protein or TNF-α. Conversely, muscle area was not independently associated with any of the inflammatory mediators studied.
CONCLUSIONS
Higher densities of several muscle groups in the abdomen are significantly associated with lower IL-6 and resistin levels, independent of the muscle area in these groups. Techniques that enhance muscle density may reduce levels of adiposity-associated inflammatory mediators.
Topics: Abdominal Muscles; Adiposity; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; C-Reactive Protein; Cross-Sectional Studies; Female; Humans; Inflammation Mediators; Interleukin-6; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Resistin; Subcutaneous Fat; Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; United States
PubMed: 29401141
DOI: 10.1249/MSS.0000000000001570