Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Department of Physical Education and Sport Sciences, Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences, University of Kurdistan, Sanandaj, Iran

2 Department of Sport Biomechanics, Faculty of Educational Science and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

3 Department of Sport Physiology, Faculty of Educational Science and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

Abstract

 Background: This research aimed to assess the effect of medicine ball exercise on the amplitude of electromyography activity in back pain patients while walking.
Methods: Twenty back pain patients participated in this research. The participants were divided into two intervention (age: 26.4 ± 2.00 years) and control (age: 28.8 ± 2.0 years) groups. The intervention involved training with medicine ball. The Roland Morris questionnaire was employed to measure the pain index. In addition, the participants walked at self-selected gait speed along an 18-m level walkway. During walking, muscle activities of the following muscles were recorded: gastrocnemius lateral (GAS-L), biceps femoris (BF), Semimembranosus muscle (SM), gluteus medius (GM), Erector spinae right (ES-R), Erector spinae left (ES-L), Internal abdominal oblique (IA-O) and External abdominal oblique (EA-O).
Results: Significant main effects of “Time” for disability index were observed (P < 001). Also, significantly lower disability index was observed after exercise with medicine ball compared with pre-intervention. Significant main effects of “Time” for BF (P < 001, ƞ2 = 0.532) and ES-R (P < 001, ƞ2 = 0.449) muscles activities during midstance phase were also found. The findings demonstrated lower BF activities after exercise with medicine ball compared to before it. Finally, greater ES-R activities post-exercise were observed with medicine ball compared with before it.
Conclusion: This study revealed that exercise with medicine ball improved disability index and muscle activities in individuals with back pain while walking

Keywords

Main Subjects

  1. Gudavalli MR. Biomechanics research on flexion-distraction procedure. In: Cox JM, ed. Low Back Pain: Mechanisms, Diagnosis and Treatment. Philadelphia, PA: Lippincott Williams & Wilkins; 1999.
  2. Meucci RD, Fassa AG, Faria NM. Prevalence of chronic low back pain: systematic review. Rev Saude Publica. 2015;49:1. doi: 10.1590/s0034-8910.2015049005874.
  3. De Luca CJ. Use of the surface EMG signal for performance evaluation of back muscles. Muscle Nerve. 1993;16(2):210-6. doi: 10.1002/mus.880160216.
  4. McGregor AH, Bull AM, Byng-Maddick R. A comparison of rowing technique at different stroke rates: a description of sequencing, force production and kinematics. Int J Sports Med. 2004;25(6):465-70. doi: 10.1055/s-2004-820936.
  5. Greenough CG, Oliver CW, Jones AP. Assessment of spinal musculature using surface electromyographic spectral color mapping. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1998;23(16):1768-74. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199808150-00009.
  6. Ahern DK, Follick MJ, Council JR, Laser-Wolston N, Litchman H. Comparison of lumbar paravertebral EMG patterns in chronic low back pain patients and non-patient controls. Pain. 1988;34(2):153-60. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(88)90160-1.
  7. Arena JG, Sherman RA, Bruno GM, Young TR. Electromyographic recordings of low back pain subjects and non-pain controls in six different positions: effect of pain levels. Pain. 1991;45(1):23-8. doi: 10.1016/0304-3959(91)90160-y.
  8. Grabel JA. Electromyographic Study of Low Back Muscle Tension in Subjects with and Without Chronic Low Back Pain [dissertation]. ProQuest Information & Learning; 1973.
  9. Kravitz E, Moore ME, Glaros A. Paralumbar muscle activity in chronic low back pain. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1981;62(4):172-6.
  10. Floyd WF, Silver PH. The function of the erectores spinae muscles in certain movements and postures in man. J Physiol. 1955;129(1):184-203. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1955.sp005347.
  11. Williams PC. The Lumbosacral Spine: Emphasizing Conservative Management. McGraw-Hill; 1965.
  12. Hendry NG. Textbook of orthopaedic medicine. Volume 1: Diagnosis of soft tissue lesions. James Cyriax, Sixth edition. 230 × 160 mm. Pp. 756 + xii, with 204 illustrations. 1975. London: Baillière Tindall. £12·50. Br J Surg. 1976;63(8):671. doi: 10.1002/bjs.1800630826.
  13. Bekkering GE, Hendriks HJ, Koes BW, Oostendorp RA, Ostelo R, Thomassen JM, et al. Dutch physiotherapy guidelines for low back pain. Physiotherapy. 2003;89(2):82-96. doi: 10.1016/s0031-9406(05)60579-2.
  14. George AJ, Kumar D, Nikhil NP. Effectiveness of trunk proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation training in mechanical low back pain. Int J Curr Res. 2013;5(7):1965-8.
  15. Kofotolis N, Kellis E. Effects of two 4-week proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation programs on muscle endurance, flexibility, and functional performance in women with chronic low back pain. Phys Ther. 2006;86(7):1001-12. doi: 10.1093/ ptj/86.7.1001.
  16. Petrofsky JS, Prowse M, Lemoine M, Bartelink T, Batt J, Suh HJ, et al. Muscle use during exercise with a mini medicine ball compared to other abdominal exercise modalities. J Appl Res. 2008;8(2):95-115.
  17. Wilk R, Weizman I, Shilo BZ. Trachealess encodes a bHLH-PAS protein that is an inducer of tracheal cell fates in Drosophila. Genes Dev. 1996;10(1):93-102. doi: 10.1101/gad.10.1.93.
  18. de Oliveira AS, de Morais Carvalho M, de Brum DP. Activation of the shoulder and arm muscles during axial load exercises on a stable base of support and on a medicine ball. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2008;18(3):472-9. doi: 10.1016/j. jelekin.2006.09.009.
  19. Norian E, Fakhri Mirzanag M, Jafarnezhadgero A. Effect of exercise therapy with medicine ball on directed and general co-contraction of knee joint muscles in low back pain patients during walking. J Anesth Pain. 2023;13(4):1-11.
  20. Ikeda Y, Kijima K, Kawabata K, Fuchimoto T, Ito A. Relationship between side medicine-ball throw performance and physical ability for male and female athletes. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2007;99(1):47-55. doi: 10.1007/s00421-006-0316-4.
  21. Alavi Mehr SM, Mousavi SH, Jafarnezhadgero A. The effect of a selected exercise protocol on trunk and lower limb muscle activity of older adults with both low back pain and pronated feet during walking. Sport Sci Health Res. 2021;14(1):129-40. doi: 10.22059/sshr.2023.350097.1065.
  22. Pakzad M, Fung J, Preuss R. Pain catastrophizing and trunk muscle activation during walking in patients with chronic low back pain. Gait Posture. 2016;49:73-7. doi: 10.1016/j. gaitpost.2016.06.025.
  23. Mousavi SJ, Parnianpour M, Mehdian H, Montazeri A, Mobini B. The Oswestry Disability Index, the Roland-Morris Disability Questionnaire, and the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale: translation and validation studies of the Iranian versions. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2006;31(14):E454-9. doi: 10.1097/01. brs.0000222141.61424.f7.
  24. Jafarnezhadgero A, Fatollahi A, Amirzadeh N, Siahkouhian M, Granacher U. Ground reaction forces and muscle activity while walking on sand versus stable ground in individuals with pronated feet compared with healthy controls. PLoS One. 2019;14(9):e0223219. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0223219.
  25. Hermens HJ, Freriks B, Merletti R, Stegeman D, Blok J, Rau G, et al. European recommendations for surface electromyography. Roessingh Research and Development. 1999;8(2):13-54.
  26. Murley GS, Buldt AK, Trump PJ, Wickham JB. Tibialis posterior EMG activity during barefoot walking in people with neutral foot posture. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2009;19(2):e69-77. doi: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2007.10.002.
  27. Farahpour N, Jafarnezhadgero A, Allard P, Majlesi M. Muscle activity and kinetics of lower limbs during walking in pronated feet individuals with and without low back pain. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2018;39:35-41. doi: 10.1016/j.jelekin.2018.01.006.
  28. Blackburn JT, Riemann BL, Padua DA, Guskiewicz KM. Sex comparison of extensibility, passive, and active stiffness of the knee flexors. Clin Biomech (Bristol). 2004;19(1):36-43. doi: 10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2003.09.003.
  29. Hanada EY, Johnson M, Hubley-Kozey C. A comparison of trunk muscle activation amplitudes during gait in older adults with and without chronic low back pain. PM R. 2011;3(10):920-8. doi: 10.1016/j.pmrj.2011.06.002.
  30. Hart JM, Kerrigan DC, Fritz JM, Saliba EN, Gansneder B, Ingersoll CD. Contribution of hamstring fatigue to quadriceps inhibition following lumbar extension exercise. J Sports Sci Med. 2006;5(1):70-9.
  31. Harris-Hayes M, Sahrmann SA, Van Dillen LR. Relationship between the hip and low back pain in athletes who participate in rotation-related sports. J Sport Rehabil. 2009;18(1):60-75. doi: 10.1123/jsr.18.1.60.
  32. Kankaanpää M, Taimela S, Laaksonen D, Hänninen O, Airaksinen O. Back and hip extensor fatigability in chronic low back pain patients and controls. Arch Phys Med Rehabil. 1998;79(4):412-7. doi: 10.1016/s0003-9993(98)90142-3.
  33. Vogt L, Pfeifer K, Banzer W. Neuromuscular control of walking with chronic low-back pain. Man Ther. 2003;8(1):21-8. doi: 10.1054/math.2002.0476.
  34. Shields RK, Heiss DG. An electromyographic comparison of abdominal muscle synergies during curl and double straight leg lowering exercises with control of the pelvic position. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 1997;22(16):1873-9. doi: 10.1097/00007632-199708150-00012.
  35. Kenefati G, Rockholt MM, Ok D, McCartin M, Zhang Q, Sun G, et al. Changes in alpha, theta, and gamma oscillations in distinct cortical areas are associated with altered acute pain responses in chronic low back pain patients. Front Neurosci. 2023;17:1278183. doi: 10.3389/fnins.2023.1278183.
  36. Li W, Gong Y, Liu J, Guo Y, Tang H, Qin S, et al. Peripheral and central pathological mechanisms of chronic low back pain: a narrative review. J Pain Res. 2021;14:1483-94. doi: 10.2147/ jpr.S306280.
  37. Zhang Z, Zou J, Lu P, Hu J, Cai Y, Xiao C, et al. Analysis of lumbar spine loading during walking in patients with chronic low back pain and healthy controls: an OpenSim-Based study. Front Bioeng Biotechnol. 2024;12:1377767. doi: 10.3389/ fbioe.2024.1377767.
  38. Smith JA, Kulig K. Altered multifidus recruitment during walking in young asymptomatic individuals with a history of low back pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2016;46(5):365-74. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2016.6230.