The Relationships between Low Back Pain/Knee Pain and Muscle Volumes of Extremities and Trunk

Abstract

Low back pain (LBP) and knee pain are among the most common orthopedic complaints. The factors associated with these pains are various, and their interactions are complicated; therefore, no consensus regarding causes and aggravation factors has emerged. Because LBP and knee pain deteriorate the QOL and ADL for elderly people, we examined the relationships between the experiences of LBP and knee pain and the muscle volumes of the trunk and extremities of 156 people aged 60 years and older participating in an exercise program. We used logistic regression analyses adjusted for age and gender. The decrease of latissimus dorsi muscle thickness was significantly associated with LBP (P=0.048), and the decrease of anterior femoral muscle volume was significantly associated with knee pain (P=0.025). The complication rate between LBP and knee pain was significant (P=0.003). Because our study is a cross-sectional study, there are no certainties about cause-and-effect relationships. However, our results suggest that back muscle exercises for people with LBP and training for strengthening the quadriceps femoris muscle for people with knee pain may be effective in reducing the frequency and intensity of the pain.