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Updated: Mar 25, 2026
Standing Neurophysiological Assessment of Lower Extremity Muscles Post-Stroke
Published on: July 26, 2021
Neuromuscular response amplitude to mechanical stimulation using large-array surface electromyography in participants
Isabelle Pagé1, François Nougarou2, Martin Descarreaux2
1Département d'anatomie, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières, 3351 boul. des Forges, Trois-Rivières, Québec G9A 5H7, Canada.
Purpose:
The present study aimed to compare the neuromuscular response under various mechanical stimulations of the lumbar spine in participants with and without chronic low back pain (cLBP).
Methods:
Four mechanical stimulations, characterized by forces ranging from 75 to 225N, were delivered using a servo-controlled linear actuator motor to the L3 spinous process of 25 healthy participants and 26 participants with cLBP. Lumbar neuromuscular responses were recorded using 64-electrodes large surface electromyography arrays. Between-group differences in the dose-response relationship (neuromuscular response amplitude according to each force level) were assessed using mixed model ANOVAs.
Results:
No differences between groups were shown (all p values>.05). A significant linear relationship was observed between forces and neuromuscular response amplitudes (p<.001) indicating an increase in response amplitudes with increasing stimulation force. Responses were observed throughout the lumbar region with highest response amplitudes in the vicinity of the contacted vertebra.
Conclusion:
The neuromuscular response amplitude triggered by localized lumbar mechanical stimulations does not differ between participants with and without cLBP. Moreover, even though stimulations were delivered at specific spinal segment, a neuromuscular response, although rapidly decreasing, was observed in areas distant from the contact site.
