Lumbar flexion and dynamic EMG among persons with single level disk herniation pre- and postsurgery with radicular low-back pain.
OBJECTIVE
The paraspinal muscles often fail to relax on forward flexion in many persons with low-back pain. The goal of this prospective study was to determine whether this abnormal lack of a flexion-relaxation phenomenon corrects after lumbar diskectomy for symptoms of radiculopathy with low-back pain.


METHODS
Electromyographic testing was performed on 17 patients before and 30 days after lumbar diskectomy.


RESULTS
Although pain improved significantly (P < 0.05), the flexion-relaxation phenomenon did not improve.


CONCLUSIONS
Failure to recover muscle relaxation while pain is relieved suggests another mechanism for paraspinal activity.
Wallbom
Agnes S
AS
Spine Program, Department of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, University of Michigan Health System, Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA.
Geisser
Michael E
ME
Koch
John
J
Haig
Andrew J
AJ
Guido
Catherine
C
Hoff
Julian T
JT
D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011843:Radiculopathy / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000601:surgery; D013997:Time Factors