Abstract
Purpose
This study aimed at identifying the short-term effect of creep deformation on the trunk repositioning sense.
Methods
Twenty healthy participants performed two different trunk-repositioning tasks (20° and 30° trunk extension) before and after a prolonged static full trunk flexion of 20 min in order to induce spinal tissue creep. Trunk repositioning error variables, trunk movement time and erector spinae muscle activity were computed and compared between the pre- and post-creep conditions.
Results
During the pre-creep condition, significant increases in trunk repositioning errors, as well as trunk movement time, were observed in 30° trunk extension in comparison to 20°. During the post-creep condition, trunk repositioning errors variables were significantly increased only when performing a 20° trunk extension. Erector spinae muscle activity increased in the post-creep condition, while it remained unchanged between trunk repositioning tasks.
Conclusions
Trunk repositioning sense seems to be altered in the presence of creep deformation, especially in a small range of motion. Reduction of proprioception acuity may increase the risk of spinal instability, which is closely related to the risk of low back pain or injury.
Similar content being viewed by others
Abbreviations
- AE:
-
Absolute error
- ANOVA:
-
Analysis of variance
- CE:
-
Constant error
- EMG:
-
Electromyography
- MT:
-
Movement time
- MVC:
-
Maximal voluntary contraction
- RMS:
-
Root mean square
- ROM:
-
Range of motion
- VE:
-
Variable error
References
Abboud J, Lardon A, Boivin F, Dugas C, Descarreaux M (2016a) Effects of muscle fatigue, creep, and musculoskeletal pain on neuromuscular responses to unexpected perturbation of the trunk: a systematic review. Front Hum Neurosci 10:667. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2016.00667
Abboud J, Nougarou F, Descarreaux M (2016b) Muscle activity adaptations to spinal tissue creep in the presence of muscle fatigue. PloS One 11:e0149076. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0149076
Andersson G, Cocchiarella L, American Medical A (2002) Guides to the evaluation of permanent impairment. AMA Press, Chicago
Arjmand N, Shirazi-Adl A (2006) Model and in vivo studies on human trunk load partitioning and stability in isometric forward flexions. J Biomech 39:510–521
Blasier RB, Carpenter JE, Huston LJ (1994) Shoulder proprioception. Effect of joint laxity, joint position, and direction of motion. Orthop Rev 23:45–50
Boucher JA, Abboud J, Descarreaux M (2012) The influence of acute back muscle fatigue and fatigue recovery on trunk sensorimotor control. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 35:662–668. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2012.10.003
Boucher JA, Abboud J, Nougarou F, Normand MC, Descarreaux M (2015) The effects of vibration and muscle fatigue on trunk sensorimotor control in low back pain patients. PloS one 10:e0135838. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0135838
Brown LE, Whitehurst M, Bryant JR (1992) Reliability of the LIDO active isokinetic dynamometer concentric mode. Isokinetics Exercise Sci 2:191
Busscher I, van Dieen JH, van der Veen AJ, Kingma I, Meijer GJ, Verkerke GJ, Veldhuizen AG (2011) The effects of creep and recovery on the in vitro biomechanical characteristics of human multi-level thoracolumbar spinal segments. Clin Biomech (Bristol Avon) 26:438–444. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2010.12.012
Callaghan JP, Gunning JL, McGill SM (1998) The relationship between lumbar spine load and muscle activity during extensor exercises. Phys Ther 78:8–18
Chaffin DB, Park KS (1973) A longitudinal study of low-back pain as associated with occupational weight lifting factors. Am Ind Hyg Assoc J 34:513–525. https://doi.org/10.1080/0002889738506892
Cordo P, Gurfinkel VS, Bevan L, Kerr GK (1995) Proprioceptive consequences of tendon vibration during movement. J Neurophysiol 74:1675–1688
Crisco JJ 3rd, Panjabi MM (1992) Euler stability of the human ligamentous lumbar spine. Part I: Theory. Clin Biomech (Bristol Avon) 7:19–26. https://doi.org/10.1016/0268-0033(92)90003-M
Criswell E, Cram JR (2011) Cram’s introduction to surface electromyography. Jones and Bartlett, Sudbury, MA
Czaprowski D, Kolwicz A, Afeltowicz A, Pawlowska P, Oleksy L (2015) Reliability of measurements of the extension-flexion ratio with surface. EMG J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil 28:827–832. https://doi.org/10.3233/BMR-150590
Fitts PM (1954) The information capacity of the human motor system in controlling the amplitude of movement. J Exp Psychol 47:381–391
Freddolini M, Strike S, Lee RY (2014) Stiffness properties of the trunk in people with low back pain. Hum Mov Sci 36:70–79. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.humov.2014.04.010
Guo HR (2002) Working hours spent on repeated activities and prevalence of back pain. Occup Environ Med 59:680–688
Hendershot B, Bazrgari B, Muslim K, Toosizadeh N, Nussbaum MA, Madigan ML (2011) Disturbance and recovery of trunk stiffness and reflexive muscle responses following prolonged trunk flexion: influences of flexion angle and duration. Clin Biomech (Bristol Avon) 26:250–256. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2010.09.019
Hodges PW (1999) Is there a role for transversus abdominis in lumbo-pelvic stability? Man Ther 4:74–86. https://doi.org/10.1054/math.1999.0169
Hodges PW, Tucker K (2011) Moving differently in pain: a new theory to explain the adaptation to pain. Pain 152:S90-S98. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.pain.2010.10.020
Hodges P, van den Hoorn W, Dawson A, Cholewicki J (2009) Changes in the mechanical properties of the trunk in low back pain may be associated with recurrence. J Biomech 42:61–66
Holm S, Indahl A, Solomonow M (2002) Sensorimotor control of the spine. J Electromyogr Kinesiol Off J Int Soc Electrophysiol Kinesiol 12:219–234
Howarth SJ, Glisic D, Lee JG, Beach TA (2013a) Does prolonged seated deskwork alter the lumbar flexion relaxation phenomenon? J Electromyogr Kinesiol Off J Int Soc Electrophysiol Kinesiol 23:587–593. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2013.01.004
Howarth SJ, Kingston DC, Brown SH, Graham RB (2013b) Viscoelastic creep induced by repetitive spine flexion and its relationship to dynamic spine stability. J Electromyogr Kinesiol Off J Int Soc Electrophysiol Kinesiol 23:794–800. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2013.04.002
Lariviere C, Gagnon D, Gravel D, Bertrand Arsenault A (2008) The assessment of back muscle capacity using intermittent static contractions. Part I - Validity and reliability of electromyographic indices of fatigue. J Electromyogr Kinesiol Off J Int Soc Electrophysiol Kinesiol 18:1006–1019. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2007.03.012
MacDermid JC, Arumugam V, Vincent JI, Carroll KL (2014) The reliability and validity of the computerized double inclinometer in measuring lumbar mobility. Open Orthop J 8:355–360. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874325001408010355
MacLennan AH, Nicolson R, Green RC, Bath M (1986) Serum relaxin and pelvic pain of pregnancy. Lancet 2:243–245
Marras WS, Lavender SA, Leurgans SE, Rajulu SL, Allread WG, Fathallah FA, Ferguson SA (1993) The role of dynamic three-dimensional trunk motion in occupationally-related low back disorders. The effects of workplace factors, trunk position, and trunk motion characteristics on risk of injury. Spine 18:617–628
McGill SM, Brown S (1992) Creep response of the lumbar spine to prolonged full flexion. Clin Biomech (Bristol Avon) 7:43–46. https://doi.org/10.1016/0268-0033(92)90007-Q
Mohseni Bandpei MA, Rahmani N, Majdoleslam B, Abdollahi I, Ali SS, Ahmad A (2014) Reliability of surface electromyography in the assessment of paraspinal muscle fatigue: an updated systematic review. J Manipulative Physiol Ther 37:510–521. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmpt.2014.05.006
Moseley GL, Hodges PW, Gandevia SC (2002) Deep and superficial fibers of the lumbar multifidus muscle are differentially active during voluntary arm movements. Spine 27:E29-36
Olson MW, Li L, Solomonow M (2004) Flexion-relaxation response to cyclic lumbar flexion. Clin Biomech (Bristol Avon) 19:769–776. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2004.05.007
Panjabi MM (1992a) The stabilizing system of the spine. Part I. Function, dysfunction, adaptation, and enhancement. J Spin Disord 5:383–389 (discussion 397)
Panjabi MM (1992b) The stabilizing system of the spine. Part II. Neutral zone and instability hypothesis. J Spinal Disord 5:390–396 (discussion 397)
Panjabi MM (2003) Clinical spinal instability and low back pain. J Electromyogr Kinesiol Off J Int Soc Electrophysiol Kinesio 13:371–379
Panjabi MM, Goel VK, Takata K (1982) Physiologic strains in the lumbar spinal ligaments. An in vitro biomechanical study 1981. Volvo Award Biomech Spine 7:192–203
Petrie S, Collins JG, Solomonow M, Wink C, Chuinard R, D’Ambrosia R (1998) Mechanoreceptors in the human elbow ligaments. J Hand Surg Am 23:512–518. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0363-5023(05)80470-8
Proske U, Gandevia SC (2012) The proprioceptive senses: their roles in signaling body shape, body position and movement, and muscle force. Physiol Rev 92:1651–1697. https://doi.org/10.1152/physrev.00048.2011
Riemann BL, Lephart SM (2002) The sensorimotor system, Part II: The role of proprioception in motor control and functional joint stability. J Athlet Train 37:80–84
Rogol IM, Ernst G, Perrin DH (1998) Open and closed kinetic chain exercises improve shoulder joint reposition sense equally in healthy subjects. J Athlet Train 33:315–318
Saur PM, Ensink FB, Frese K, Seeger D, Hildebrandt J (1996) Lumbar range of motion: reliability and validity of the inclinometer technique in the clinical measurement of trunk flexibility. Spine 21:1332–1338
Schmidt RA, Lee TD (2005) Motor control and learning: a behavioral emphasis. Human Kinetics, Champaign, IL
Shin G, Mirka GA (2007) An in vivo assessment of the low back response to prolonged flexion: Interplay between active and passive tissues. Clin Biomech (Bristol Avon) 22:965–971. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.clinbiomech.2007.06.003
Shin G, D’Souza C, Liu YH (2009) Creep and fatigue development in the low back in static flexion. Spine 34:1873–1878. https://doi.org/10.1097/BRS.0b013e3181aa6a55
Solomonow M (2012) Neuromuscular manifestations of viscoelastic tissue degradation following high and low risk repetitive lumbar flexion. J Electromyogr Kinesiol Off J Int Soc Electrophysiol Kinesio 22:155–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelekin.2011.11.008
Solomonow M, Zhou BH, Harris M, Lu Y, Baratta RV (1998) The ligamento-muscular stabilizing system of the spine. Spine 23:2552–2562
Solomonow M, Zhou BH, Baratta RV, Lu Y, Harris M (1999) Biomechanics of increased exposure to lumbar injury caused by cyclic loading: Part 1. Loss of reflexive muscular stabilization. Spine 24:2426–2434
Solomonow M, Baratta RV, Zhou BH, Burger E, Zieske A, Gedalia A (2003a) Muscular dysfunction elicited by creep of lumbar viscoelastic tissue. J Electromyogr Kinesiol Off J Int Soc Electrophysiol Kinesio 13:381–396
Solomonow M, Zhou BH, Baratta RV, Burger E (2003b) Biomechanics and electromyography of a cumulative lumbar disorder: response to static flexion. Clin Biomech (Bristol Avon) 18:890–898
Tong MH, Mousavi SJ, Kiers H, Ferreira P, Refshauge K, van Dieen J (2017) Is there a relationship between lumbar proprioception and low back Pain? A systematic review with meta-analysis. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 98:120–136 e122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apmr.2016.05.016
Toosizadeh N, Bazrgari B, Hendershot B, Muslim K, Nussbaum MA, Madigan ML (2013) Disturbance and recovery of trunk mechanical and neuromuscular behaviours following repetitive lifting: influences of flexion angle and lift rate on creep-induced effects. Ergonomics 56:954–963. https://doi.org/10.1080/00140139.2013.785601
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of interest
The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.
Additional information
Communicated by Bénédicte Schepens.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Abboud, J., Rousseau, B. & Descarreaux, M. Trunk proprioception adaptations to creep deformation. Eur J Appl Physiol 118, 133–142 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3754-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-017-3754-2