Abstract

We investigated the longitudinal associations between physical activity (PA), lumbar multifidus morphology, and impactful low back pain (LBP) in young people. Nine-year-old children were recruited from 25 primary schools and followed up at age 13, 16, and 21 years. We measured PA with accelerometers at age 9, 13, and 16; quantified patterns of lumbar multifidus intramuscular adipose tissue (IMAT) change from 13 to 16 years using magnetic resonance imaging; and recorded LBP and its impact with standardised questionnaires and interviews. Associations were examined with crude and adjusted logistic or multinomial models and reported with odds ratios (OR) or relative risk ratios (RRR). We included data from 364 children (mean[SD] age = 9.7[.4] years). PA behaviour was not associated with LBP. Having persistently high IMAT levels at age 13 and 16 was associated with greater odds of LBP (OR[95% CI] = 2.98[1.17 to 7.58]). Increased time in moderate and vigorous intensity PA was associated with a lower risk of higher IMAT patterns (RRR[95% CI] = .67[.46 to .96] to .74[.55 to 1.00]). All associations became non-significant after adjusting for sex and body mass index (BMI). Future studies investigating the relationships between PA behaviour, lumbar multifidus IMAT, and impactful LBP should account for potential confounding by sex and BMI.

Details

Title
The relationships between physical activity, lumbar multifidus muscle morphology, and low back pain from childhood to early adulthood: a 12-year longitudinal study
Author
Cunningham, Erin 1 ; Wedderkopp Niels 2 ; Kjaer Per 3 ; Beynon, Amber 4 ; Noble, Jeremy 1 ; Hebert, Jeffrey J 5 

 University of New Brunswick, Faculty of Kinesiology, Fredericton, Canada (GRID:grid.266820.8) (ISNI:0000 0004 0402 6152) 
 University of Southern Denmark, The Research Unit of Pediatrics, Department of Clinical Research, The Faculty of Health Sciences, Odense, Denmark (GRID:grid.10825.3e) (ISNI:0000 0001 0728 0170) 
 University of Southern Denmark, Department of Sports Science and Clinical Biomechanics, Odense, Denmark (GRID:grid.10825.3e) (ISNI:0000 0001 0728 0170); UCL University College, Health Sciences Research Centre, Odense, Denmark (GRID:grid.460785.8) (ISNI:0000 0004 0432 5638) 
 Murdoch University, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch, Australia (GRID:grid.1025.6) (ISNI:0000 0004 0436 6763); Macquarie University, Department of Chiropractic, Faculty of Medicine, Health and Human Sciences, Sydney, Australia (GRID:grid.1004.5) (ISNI:0000 0001 2158 5405) 
 University of New Brunswick, Faculty of Kinesiology, Fredericton, Canada (GRID:grid.266820.8) (ISNI:0000 0004 0402 6152); Murdoch University, College of Science, Health, Engineering and Education, Murdoch, Australia (GRID:grid.1025.6) (ISNI:0000 0004 0436 6763) 
Publication year
2022
Publication date
2022
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
ProQuest document ID
2669223071
Copyright
© The Author(s) 2022. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.