Isovelocity investigation of the lengthening behaviour of the erector spinae muscles

The purpose of this study was to investigate the force-velocity (F/v) relationship for the erector spinae muscles in submaximal activation movements, with particular attention to their response during lengthening movements and at lower shortening contraction velocities. Dynamic models that predict lower back muscle forces require reasonable representations of the modulating effect of instantaneous velocity. Ten males were observed performing trunk flexion and extension in the sagittal plane under constant load. Contraction velocities were measured as the first derivative from a devise sensitive to changes in spine curvature, and controlled by a visual feedback system while a constant load was applied through a chest harness. The erector spinae exhibited a yielding phenomenon which causes an abrupt drop in force during constant velocity stretching under constant, submaximal, stimulation. The findings were consistent with previous isovelocity muscle lengthening experiments. Yielding appeared dependent on the level of load/activation supporting the theory of a "state-variable" F/v relationship. The eccentric behaviour of the lower erectors (L3) seemed independent of velocity and length, while that of the upper erectors (T9) showed a dependence on length. At lower concentric velocities, concavity in torque-velocity curves was noted after a "threshold" velocity. The findings of this study strongly reinforce the notion that the F/v length relationship is not a continuous hyperbolic relationship during muscle shortening and that the commonly modelled force augmentation effect of lengthening is incorrect, at least for submaximal activation of the extensors of the lower back.