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The Relationship Between Transversus Abdominis Muscle Architecture and Upper Extremity Function in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain

The Relationship Between Transversus Abdominis Muscle Architecture and Upper Extremity Function in Patients With Chronic Low Back Pain: A Comparative Ultrasonographic Study

Status
Recruiting
Phases
Unknown
Study type
Observational
Source
ClinicalTrials.gov
Registry ID
NCT07474610
Enrollment
90
Registered
2026-03-16
Start date
2026-04-01
Completion date
2027-08-31
Last updated
2026-07-20

For informational purposes only — not medical advice. Sourced from public registries and may not reflect the latest updates. Terms

Conditions

Core Muscles, Functional Reach, Low Back Pain, Scapular Dyskinesis, Ultrasound

Keywords

low back pain, functional reach, scapular dyskinesis, core, ultrasound

Brief summary

Core stability is the ability to control the position and movement of the trunk for optimal production, transfer, and control of forces in the upper and lower extremities during functional activities. Studies have shown that TrA activation is delayed in individuals with low back pain. The relationship between core stability and the lower extremity has been frequently studied in the literature, and according to Kibler's 'Kinetic Chain' theory, loss of proximal stability is known to lead to dysfunction in distal segments; however, the relationship between the upper extremity and core stability is still unclear. The aim of our study is to investigate the upper extremity reach capacity and scapular stability of individuals with low back pain in relation to TrA involvement and to compare them with healthy individuals without low back pain.

Detailed description

Core stability is the ability to control the position and movement of the trunk for optimal production, transfer, and control of forces in the upper and lower extremities during functional activities. The most important components of core stability are muscle capacity and neuromuscular control. A stable core region is effective in facilitating extremity function. Studies have shown that TrA activation is delayed in individuals with low back pain. The relationship between core stability and the lower extremity has been frequently studied in the literature, and according to Kibler's 'Kinetic Chain' theory, loss of proximal stability is known to lead to dysfunction in distal segments; however, the relationship between the upper extremity and core stability is still unclear. In light of all this data, the aim of our study is to investigate the upper extremity reach capacity and scapular stability of individuals with low back pain in relation to TrA involvement and to compare them with healthy individuals without low back pain.

Interventions

None listed

Sponsors

Ilayda Dilan Isik
Lead SponsorOTHER

Study design

Observational model
CASE_CONTROL
Time perspective
OTHER

Eligibility

Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 45 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes

Inclusion criteria

* Being between 18-45 years of age. * Having a normal Body Mass Index (BMI) (18.5 - 29.9 kg/m²). * For the painful group, having pain for a minimum of 3 months and a minimum of 3/10 pain at rest or during activity. • Not having received medical treatment for back or shoulder pain in the last 12 months for healthy control examinations.

Exclusion criteria

* Having neurological diseases. * Having a diagnosed pathology and/or severe pain in the upper extremity. * Being a professional athlete. * Being pregnant. * Having advanced structural spinal deformities (scoliosis, kyphosis, etc.). * Having undergone abdominal surgery (Cesarean section is not included). * Having undergone spinal and/or lumbar surgery.

Design outcomes

Primary

MeasureTime frameDescription
Severity of back painIt will only be evaluated once.Resting, activity, and nocturnal pains will be marked on a visual analog scale.
UltrasoundIt will only be evaluated once.Measurements taken from the TrA muscle will first involve measuring the length of the cross-section in the resting position, then taking another measurement during the maneuver, and recording the differences between these measurements.
Funcitonal Reach TestIt will only be evaluated once.During the measurement, the patient lies on their side against the wall (leaving a small enough distance between themselves and the wall to avoid contact). Their feet are shoulder-width apart and fixed. The patient raises the arm closest to the wall to 90 degrees of shoulder flexion (straight forward). Make a fist. While the patient's arm is at 90 degrees, the point where the head of the 3rd metacarpal (middle finger joint) aligns with the measuring tape on the wall is recorded. The patient is then asked to reach forward as far as they can without lifting their feet off the ground or taking a step. At the furthest point the patient can reach without losing their balance, the alignment of the 3rd metacarpal head is again recorded. The distance between these points is taken as the final measurement. During the measurement, it is crucial that the heels do not lift off the ground, that no steps are taken, that no support is placed against the wall, and that the arm does not drop.
Kibler's Lateral Scapular Slide TestIt will only be evaluated once.Measurements were taken using a measuring tape to gauge the distance between the spinous processes of the spine and the inferior angulus of the scapula, and repeated in three different positions: arms free at the sides, hands on the hips (approximately 45 degrees abduction), and arms outstretched to the sides (90 degrees abduction and maximum internal rotation). Under normal conditions, the distance between these positions does not vary significantly or changes symmetrically. If the difference between the two sides is more than 1.5 cm or if there is excessive variation between positions, the diagnosis will be considered "Scapular Dyskinesia Present (+)".

Countries

Turkey (Türkiye)

Contacts

CONTACTİlayda Dilan Işık, MsC
ilayda_dilan06@hotmail.com+905305239711

Outcome results

None listed

Source: ClinicalTrials.gov · Data processed: Jul 21, 2026