McHenry Back Muscles Affected By Back Pain

The spine is supported by several muscles. Back pain and degenerative spine conditions affect those muscles. Chiropractors like yours at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic address both the degenerative spinal pain condition as well as the related degenerated spine muscles. McHenry chiropractic back pain treatment plans integrate pain-relieving methods for both the spine and its musculature.

BACK PAIN AND MUSCLES’ RESPONSES

Back pain impacts back muscles. Different McHenry back pain conditions affect different McHenry back muscles, too. Paraspinal muscles exhibit varied responses to spinal degenerative conditions. Alterations in the lumbar spine paraspinal muscles of low back pain patients have been detailed. Atrophy of the multifidus muscles in patients with back pain, lumbar radiculopathy, and lumbar degenerative kyphosis are particularly noted. Increased fat infiltration of the multifidus muscle is also present in patients with lumbar radiculopathy and lumbar degenerative kyphosis. (1) In a report on 78 patients with either degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis or degenerative lumbar kyphosis, researchers described these degenerative muscle patterns. The multifidus muscle is explained as the stabilizer of the lumbar spine segments while the erector spinae muscles tend to be seen as the stabilizers of spinal sagittal balance. Multifidus muscle degeneration was more significant in the degenerative lumbar spondylolisthesis patients. Erector spinae degeneration was more significant in the degenerative lumbar kyphosis patients as well as more closely connected to the severity of spinal kyphosis curvature. (2) Continuous chronic low back pain sufferers as compared to non-continuous and recurrent low back pain sufferers were documented to have greater EMG activity in erector spinae and multifidus muscles in extension. (3) Your McHenry chiropractor at OrthoIllinois Chiropractic pays close attention to these differences.

BACK PAIN AND BACK MUSCLES: STABILITY

OrthoIllinois Chiropractic also notes back pain and muscle response on spinal stability. Researchers stated that chronic low back pain impairs spinal stability of its sufferers. In looking at the activation patterns of the latissimus dorsi, gluteus maximus, and upward scapular rotation muscles of chronic LBP patients, researchers documented a significant increase in upward scapular rotation in all shoulder abduction positions on both sides. The left side was more affected than the right. Further, they found increased latissimus dorsi muscle activities and decreased gluteus maximus activities in chronic low back pain. (4) Spinal manipulation is described as stimulating transient physiological responses of which paraspinal muscle activity and muscle spindle responses are included. (5) Your McHenry chiropractor will carefully note these responses when treating your spine as well as in designing exercises to address weaknesses. 

CONTACT OrthoIllinois Chiropractic

Listen to this PODCAST with Dr. Paulette Hugulet on The Back Doctors Podcast with Dr. Michael Johnson. She discusses her implementation of spinal manipulation, namely the Cox® Technic System of Spinal Pain Management, for a 77-year-old patient to reduce pain and better her muscle function and strength.