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Updated: Feb 11, 2026

Application of Chronic Stimulation to Study Contractile Activity-induced Rat Skeletal Muscle Phenotypic Adaptations
Published on: January 25, 2018
Do Older Adults and Those Recovered from Low Back Injury Share Common Muscle Activation Adaptations?
D Adam Quirk1, Cheryl L Hubley-Kozey1,2
1a School of Biomedical Engineering, Dalhousie University , Halifax , NS , Canada.
Abstract:
Theoretical models suggest trunk muscle activation compensates for spinal systems impairments. The purpose of this study was to determine if two populations (older adults and those recovered from a lower back injury (rLBI)) with spinal system impairments have similar muscle activation patterns to each other, but differ from controls. Trunk electromyograms collected from 12 older adults, 16 rLBI, and 19 controls during two dynamic tasks showed that older adults and rLBI had higher activation amplitudes, sustained temporal and more synergistic activation relative to controls. However, differences found between older adults and rLBI suggest that spinal system impairments differed between groups or that recent pain (rLBI) uniquely influenced muscle activation. This sheds light on our understanding of the relationship between spinal system impairments and muscle activation.
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