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La Grande Back Muscles Affected By Back Pain

February 22, 2022

The spine is supported by many muscles. Back pain and degenerative spine disorders affect those muscles. Chiropractors like yours at Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC address both the degenerative spinal pain condition as well as the associated degenerated spine muscles. La Grande chiropractic back pain treatment plans integrate pain-relieving methods for both the spine and its musculature.

BACK PAIN AND MUSCLES’ RESPONSES

Back pain alters back muscles. Different La Grande back pain conditions involve different La Grande back muscles, too. Paraspinal muscles show different responses to spinal degenerative conditions. Changes 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 documented. 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 documented these degenerative muscle patterns. The multifidus muscle is described as the stabilizer of the lumbar spine segments while the erector spinae muscles tend to be referred to 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 correlated with 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 found to have higher EMG activity in erector spinae and multifidus muscles in extension. (3) Your La Grande chiropractor at Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC pays close attention to these variations.

BACK PAIN AND BACK MUSCLES: STABILITY

Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC also notes back pain and muscle response on spinal stability. Researchers explained that chronic low back pain weakens spinal stability of its sufferers. In examining the activation patterns of the latissimus dorsi, gluteus maximus, and upward scapular rotation muscles of chronic LBP patients, researchers found 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 greater latissimus dorsi muscle activities and reduced gluteus maximus activities in chronic low back pain. (4) Spinal manipulation is explained as stimulating transient physiological responses of which paraspinal muscle activity and muscle spindle responses are included. (5) Your La Grande chiropractor will carefully note these responses when treating your spine as well as in setting exercises to address weaknesses. 

CONTACT Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC

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

Set up your La Grande chiropractic appointment soon. Our back pain sufferers can rely on our treatment plan to address the spine, its pain, and its affected muscles.
 
Dr. Paulette Hugulet, DC, LLC treats not only back pain related to degenerative spine conditions but also the related degenerative back muscles.