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Related Experiment Videos

Cervical paraspinal spontaneous activity in asymptomatic subjects.

Elaine S Date1, Byung-Jo Kim, Joon Shik Yoon

  • 1Division of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation, Stanford School of Medicine, Stanford, California, USA.

Muscle & Nerve
|April 25, 2006
PubMed
Summary
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Abnormal spontaneous activity, like positive sharp waves (PSWs), can appear in the cervical paraspinal muscles of healthy individuals. This finding suggests caution when diagnosing radiculopathy solely based on these electromyographic results.

Area of Science:

  • Neurology
  • Electromyography
  • Spinal Diagnostics

Background:

  • Radiculopathy diagnosis can rely on electrodiagnostic findings.
  • Cervical paraspinal muscle abnormalities, including positive sharp waves (PSWs), may be the sole indicator of radiculopathy.
  • Spontaneous muscle activity can occur in asymptomatic individuals.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To assess the prevalence of abnormal spontaneous activity in the cervical paraspinal muscles of asymptomatic subjects.
  • To determine the clinical relevance of such activity.
  • To explore the relationship between abnormal activity and age.

Main Methods:

  • Needle electromyography (EMG) of cervical paraspinal muscles at C5/6 and C6/7 levels in 66 asymptomatic subjects.
  • Evaluation of recorded potentials for firing rates and waveforms.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Identification of abnormal activity based on reproducible trains of PSWs or fibrillation potentials.

    • Main Results:

    • Positive sharp waves (PSWs) were detected in 8 out of 66 (12%) asymptomatic subjects.
    • Five subjects exhibited bilateral PSWs; no fibrillation potentials were observed.
    • A statistical analysis of age-related effects was not feasible due to the small sample size.

    Conclusions:

    • Electromyographic abnormalities in cervical paraspinal muscles can be present in asymptomatic individuals.
    • Caution is advised when diagnosing radiculopathy based solely on these findings.
    • Abnormal spontaneous activity in paraspinal muscles requires careful interpretation in the context of neck pain.