Chinese Journal of Rehabilitation Theory and Practice ›› 2025, Vol. 31 ›› Issue (4): 466-475.doi: 10.3969/j.issn.1006-9771.2025.04.012

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Characteristics of trunk muscle activation and plantar pressure distribution in patients with chronic low back pain in static standing

XU Zhaoqiang1, LI Yan2, PENG Jiahui1, XIE Haoyu1, CHEN Yu3, WANG Chuhuai1()   

  1. 1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-Sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510062, China
    2. School of Pharmacy, Wenzhou Medical University, Wenzhou, Zhejiang 325035, China
    3. Department of Rehabilitation, Guangzhou Angel Children's Hospital, Guangzhou, Guangdong 510160, China
  • Received:2024-11-14 Revised:2025-02-28 Published:2025-04-25 Online:2025-04-25
  • Contact: WANG Chuhuai, E-mail: wangchuh@mail.sysu.edu.cn
  • Supported by:
    Guangdong-Hong Kong Technology Innovation Joint Funding(2023A0505010014);National Key Research and Development Program(2022YFC2009700);National Natural Science Foundation of China(82172532)

Abstract:

Objective To compare trunk muscle activation, muscle co-contraction levels and plantar pressure distribution between patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP) and healthy subjects during static standing.
Methods From July, 2021 to July, 2022, 17 healthy subjects (healthy control group) and 18 cLBP patients (cLBP group) were recruited from the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the First Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University. Demographic information was collected for both groups, as well as the pain intensity, functional disability, and center of pressure displacement parameters of the cLBP group in static standing. A plantar pressure plate was used to record plantar pressure distribution in static standing task. Simultaneously, a wireless surface electromyography (sEMG) system was used to record the activity of the transverse abdominis (TrA), erector spinae (ES) and lumbar multifidus (LM). The activation levels of each muscle and the co-contraction index (CCI) between trunk muscle pairs were analyzed.
Results Compared with the healthy control group, the cLBP group showed higher activation levels of the bilateral LM (∣t∣ > 2.479, P < 0.05) and higher lumbar-abdominal muscle CCI of left LM-left TrA (t = 2.212, P = 0.042), left LM-right TrA (t = 2.868, P = 0.008) and right LM-right TrA (U = 75.000, P = 0.009). In the cLBP group, pressure decreased in the right big toe region (t = 2.825, P = 0.009), and increased in the right medial and left lateral heel regions (U < 77.000, P < 0.05).
Conclusions During static standing, patients with cLBP require higher level of trunk muscle activation and co-contraction, with a posterior shift in plantar pressure distribution, which might be due to the adoption of different postural compensation strategies to maintain postural stability.

Key words: chronic low back pain, surface electromyography, co-contraction index, plantar pressure, static standing task

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