The Effect of Low Back Pain on Paraspinal Muscle Volumes in Adolescents

• Published in: Boğaziçi tıp dergisi Vol. 9; no. 1; pp. 46 - 53
• Main Author: Bahadır Ülger, Fatma Esra
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Istanbul Kare Publishing 01.01.2022
• Subjects: adolescent; Back pain; low back pain; lumbar disc hernia; paraspinal muscles; Teenagers
• ISSN: 2149-0287; 2149-0287
• DOI: 10.14744/bmj.2022.43434

INTRODUCTION: The objective of the study was to investigate whether low back pain (LBP) with or without lumbar disc herniation (LDH) would affect paraspinal muscle volumes in adolescents. METHODS: A total of 205 adolescent patients were distributed into two groups – LBP with LDH (Group A) and LBP without LDH (Group B). Multifidus (MF), erector spinae (ES), and psoas major (PM) volumes at the L4–5 and L5-S1 intervertebral disc levels were measured. RESULTS: No statistically significant difference in bilateral MF, ES, and PM volumes was observed between the groups at the L4–5 and L5-S1 levels. The right side ES volumes at the L4–5 were lower than the left volumes in Group A (p=0.000/p<0.05). At the L5-S1, the right MF and ES volumes were lower than those on the left (MF p=0.008/p<0.05; ES p=0.000/p<0.05). In Group B, the right MF and ES volumes were lower than those on the left (MF p=0.001/p<0.05 and ES p=0.000/p<0.05) at the L4–5 level. At the L5-S1, the right MF, ES, and PM volumes were lower than those on the left (MF p=0.001/p<0.05; ES p=0.000/p<0.05; and PM p=0.024/p<0.05). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Paraspinal muscle volume loss can be seen as a result of LBP in adolescents like in adults. Since LDH more commonly occurs as the central type in the pediatric age, perhaps it may not contribute to volume changes of paraspinal muscle.