Rahmani N.1, Kiani A.2, Mohseni Bandpei M.A.2, Karimian A.2
1University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Pediatric Neurorehabilitation Research Center, Tehran, Iran, 2University of Social Welfare and Rehabilitation Sciences, Department of Physiotherapy, Tehran, Iran
Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a common and costly musculoskeletal condition in general population. Previous studies revealed that the prevalence of LBP in children, same as the adults, is relatively high.
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the lumbar multifidus muscle thickness in 15-18 Y/O healthy boys and to compare these data with the data from the same children with chronic LBP using ultrasonography.
Methods: The present research was a non-experimental, analytic and case-control study. Lumbar multifidus muscle thickness of 15-18 Y/O boys, who were randomly recruited from five geographical areas in Tehran, was assessed. In the same aged boys with chronic LBP, lumbar multifidus muscle thickness was evaluated using ultrasonography. All measurements were compared between the two groups (healthy and LBP patient groups).
Results: There was a significant difference in all measurements of lumbar multifidus muscle thickness between the healthy children and those with LBP (P 0.05). A significant correlation was found between height, weight, BMI and lumbar multifidus muscle thickness in both groups (p 0.05). No significant correlation was found between age and lumbar multifidus muscle thickness in both groups (p>0.05). A significant correlation was found between pain and level of functional disability and lumbar multifidus muscle thickness in children with LBP (p 0.05).
Conclusion(s): In children with LBP, lumbar multifidus muscle thickness was smaller than healthy group. Height, weight and BMI were found to be the predictive values of lumbar multifidus muscle thickness in children. However, further studies focusing on preventive strategies in children are recommended.
Implications: The results of this stufy help physiotherapists and other health care providers to distinguish patients from healthy subjects.
Funding acknowledgements: We acknowledge the support received from the University of social welfare and rehabilitation sciences.
Topic: Musculoskeletal: spine
Ethics approval: Ethical approval received from medical ethics board.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
