title: Back muscle activation pattern and spectrum in defined load situations.
abstract: For the prevention and rehabilitation of low back pain the understanding muscle function in the low back region is essential. Important aspects of function include the muscle activation patterns and muscle fatigue. In the low back region m. erector spinae plays a critical role. The different parts of this muscle complex differ considerably in function. Following the concept of Bergmark [A. Bergmark, Stability of the lumbar spine, Acta Orthop. Scand. 60 (1989) 1-54] trunk muscles can be divided in two subsystems, the global-mobilizing-system and the local-stabilizing-system. At present the multifidus muscles are assigned to the local whereas the longissimus and iliocostalis muscles are assigned to the global system. From results of the four parts of our investigation, it can be shown that essential information about muscle function can be obtained by spectral and intra- as well as inter-muscular surface EMG parameters. Obtained data demonstrated functional transitions between the local and global system of trunk muscles for the multifidus muscle.
authors.affiliation: BG Nahrungsmittel und Gaststaetten, Prevention Department, GS Erfurt, Lucas-Cranach-Platz 2, D-99097 Erfurt, Germany. ingo.bradl@apz-erfurt.de
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Bradl
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Mörl
authors.forename: H C
authors.initials: HC
authors.lastname: Scholle
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grassme
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Müller
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Grieshaber