Comparison of the Electrical Activity of Lower Limb and Core Muscles During Walking in Men With Chronic Low Back Pain Compared to Healthy Controls

Background The biomechanical changes in the trunk and lower limbs during walking and running have been assessed in individuals with chronic low back pain (CLBP). However, there are no comparative studies on the electrical activity of trunk and lower limb muscles during walking in people with CLBP and healthy people. Objective The present study aims to compare the electrical activity of lower limb muscles and core stabilizers during walking in men with CLBP compared to healthy peers. Methods This is a quasi-experimental study that was conducted in Ardabil, Iran, in 2023. Participants were 10 men with CLBP (age: 25.4±2.5 years, weight: 79.04±3.06 kg, height: 176.03±7.04 cm) and 10 healthy controls (age: 25.8±2.09 years, weight: 79.00±3.01 kg, height: 176.06±7.01 cm). During the test, participants were asked to walk barefoot on an 18-meter path and an electromyography (EMG) system was used to record the EMG data of the lower limb and core muscles. Results There was a significant difference in the frequency of the rectus abdominis activity in the loading response phase (P=0.019, Cohen’s d=0.495); in the frequency of semitendinosus activity in the mid-stance phase (P=0.049, Cohen’s d=0.436); and in the frequency of the left erector spinae activity (P=0.006, Cohen’s d=0.504) and the right rectus abdominis muscle activity (P=0.003, Cohen’s d=0.559) in the push-off phase of gait in both groups. The results demonstrated significantly lower activity of the rectus abdominis and erector spinae muscles and higher activity of the semitendinosus muscle in the CLBP group compared to healthy controls (P<0.05). Conclusion There is a significant change in the electrical activity of the rectus abdominis, semitendinosus, and erector spinae muscles in men with CLBP compared to healthy peers.