|
| Research | Modality | Participants | Segments measured | Level of measurement | Position | Orientation of cross section | CSA multifidus (cm2) | CSA erector spinae (cm2) | Association with LBP |
|
| Danneels et al. [50] | CT | 23 healthy volunteers | L3
L4
L4 | Superior endplate
Superior endplate
Inferior end plate | Supine | Adjacent to the vertebral endplate | 4.7 ± 1.4
6.3 ± 1.4
9.0 ± 1.5 | | A significant difference between the two groups, especially at the L4 inferior endplate. Healthy individuals have a larger CSA of the multifidus |
| 32 patients with LBP | L3
L4
L4 | Superior endplate
Superior endplate
Inferior end plate | 4.1 ± 1.0
5.7 ± 1.1
7.7 ± 1.4 |
|
| Hides et al. [51] | US | 10 young male elite cricketers with LBP | L2
L3
L4
L5 | Spinous process of the vertebra | Prone with flattened lumbar lordosis | Between the spinous process and the lamina | 3.4 ± 1.4
5.1 ± 1.9
7.1 ± 2.7
7.4 ± 2.1 | | Multifidus muscle atrophy can exist in highly active, elite athletes with LBP. Specific retraining resulted in an improvement in multifidus CSA that was concomitant with pain decrease |
| 16 young male elite cricketers asymptomatic | L2
L3
L4
L5 | 2.8 ± 1.1
4.3 ± 1.5
6.5 ± 2.2
8.0 ± 1.7 | |
|
| Stokes et al. [19] | US | 68 females | L4
L5 | | Prone with flattened lumbar lordosis | Between the spinous process and the lamina | 5.6 ± 1.3
6.7 ± 1.0 | | |
| 52 males | L4
L5 | | 7.9 ± 1.9
8.9 ± 1.7 | | |
|
| Chan et al. [27] | US | 12 asymptomatic men | L4 | Vertebral lamina | Prone | | 6.16 ± 0.09 | | Smaller multifidus CSA in chronic LBP patients than that in controls at all postures |
| Standing | | 7.16 ± 0.10 | |
| 12 men with LBP | L4 | Prone | | 5.37 ± 0.06 | |
| Standing | | 6.58 ± 0.20 | |
|
| Fortin et al. [33] | MRI | 33 patients diagnosed with posterolateral disc herniation at L4-L5 | L3-L4
L4-L5 | The center of each intervertebral disc | Supine | Perpendicular to the muscle mass | 6.5 ± 1.4
9.6 ± 2.1 | 20.0 ± 4.4
16.3 ± 4.1 | There was no significant asymmetry of the multifidus at spinal level above, same level, or level below the disc herniation |
L5-S1
S1 | The center of S1 vertebral body | 11.7 ± 2.3
13.2 ± 2.7 | 10.2 ± 4.1
9.1 ± 4.0 |
|
| D’Hooge et al. [25] | MRI | 13 individuals with recurrent nonspecific LBP, and 13 asymptomatic individuals | L3
L4
L4 | Superior endplate
Superior endplate
Inferior end plate | Supine | Adjacent to the vertebral endplate | Normalized values to L4 superior endplate | | No difference in CSA between individuals with LBP and controls |
|
| Niemeläinen et al. [35] | MRI | 126 asymptomatic men | L3-L4
L4-L5
L5-S1 | Not described in the manuscript | Supine | Not described in the manuscript | Rt: 7.3, Lt: 6.9
Rt: 10.1, Lt: 9.5
Rt: 11.1, Lt: 9.8 | Rt: 19.6, Lt: 19.7
Rt: 14.3, Lt: 15.3
Rt: 9.4, Lt: 10.4 | Paraspinal muscle asymmetry >10% was commonly found in men without a history of LBP. This suggests caution in using level- and side-specific paraspinal muscle asymmetry to identify subjects with LBP and spinal pathology |
|
| Sions et al. [36] | MRI | 13 older adults with chronic LBP, age 60–85 y | L2
L3
L4
L5 | Through vertebral body | | | 3.44 ± 0.94
5.07 ± 2.02
8.76 ± 3.02
9.35 ± 1.83 | 18.76 ± 4.46
17.63 ± 4.00
13.51 ± 2.00
3.61 ± 1.19 | |
|
