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The effect of acute back muscle fatigue on postural control strategy in people with and without recurrent low back pain

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Abstract

Back muscle fatigue decreases the postural stability during quiet standing, but it is not known whether this fatigue-induced postural instability is due to an altered proprioceptive postural control strategy. Therefore, the aim of the study was to evaluate if acute back muscle fatigue may be a mechanism to induce or sustain a suboptimal proprioceptive postural control strategy in people with and without recurrent low back pain (LBP). Postural sway was evaluated on a force platform in 16 healthy subjects and 16 individuals with recurrent LBP during a control (Condition 1) and a back muscle fatigue condition (Condition 2). Back muscle fatigue was induced by performing a modified Biering-Sørensen test. Ankle and back muscle vibration, a potent stimulus for muscle spindles, was used to differentiate proprioceptive postural control strategies during standing on a stable and unstable support surface, where the latter was achieved by placing a foam pad under the feet. Ankle signals were predominantly used for postural control in all subjects although, in each condition, their influence was greater in people with LBP compared to healthy subjects (p < 0.001). The latter group adapted their postural control strategy when standing on an unstable surface so that input from back muscles increased (p < 0.001). However, such adaptation was not observed when the back muscles were fatigued. Furthermore, people with LBP continued to rely strongly on ankle proprioception regardless of the testing conditions. In conclusion, these findings suggest that impaired back muscle function, as a result of acute muscle fatigue or pain, may lead to an inability to adapt postural control strategies to the prevailing conditions.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by grants from the Research Foundation––Flanders (FWO) (1.5.104.03 and G.0674.09). Ege Johanson is an international scholar of the Vlaamse Gemeenschap, Flanders, Belgium. Lotte Janssens is a doctoral fellow of FWO. Madelon Pijnenburg is a doctoral fellow of the Agency for Innovation by Science and Technology (IWT).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Faculty of Exercise and Sport Sciences, Institute of Exercise Biology and Physiotherapy, University of Tartu, 5 Jakobi Street, 51014, Tartu, Estonia

    Ege Johanson & Mati Pääsuke

  2. Musculoskeletal Research Unit, Faculty of Kinesiology and Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Leuven (K.U.Leuven), Tervuursevest 101, 3001, Leuven, Belgium

    Simon Brumagne, Lotte Janssens, Madelon Pijnenburg & Kurt Claeys

Authors
  1. Ege Johanson
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  2. Simon Brumagne
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  3. Lotte Janssens
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  4. Madelon Pijnenburg
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  5. Kurt Claeys
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  6. Mati Pääsuke
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Correspondence to Simon Brumagne.

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Johanson, E., Brumagne, S., Janssens, L. et al. The effect of acute back muscle fatigue on postural control strategy in people with and without recurrent low back pain. Eur Spine J 20, 2152–2159 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-011-1825-3

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00586-011-1825-3

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