The Lumbodorsal Fascia as a Potential Source of Low Back Pain: A Narrative Review

Figure 3

Example of a histological section taken of the posterior layer of LF at the level of L2. Arrows indicate fibers containing alpha-smooth muscle actin, an immunohistochemical marker for myofibroblasts, which is stained in red. Nuclei are stained dark blue. Although nothing is known about the presence of low back pain in this donor, the high density of myofibroblasts in this tissue is notable and is reminiscent of comparable histological sections in fascial pathologies such as Frozen Shoulder (Bunker et al. 1995). A high density of these contractile cells is usually only seen in fibrotic pathologies and/or in tissue conditions with an increased injury repair activity. Length of image 225 μm.