Significance of trunk muscles in spinal pathologies

Abstract

Low back pain and spinal deformity are issues to be overcome for Japan, aiming to extend healthy life expectancy. Trunk muscles play important roles in supporting the spinal column. However, few reports have investigated the relationship of the trunk muscle mass with lumbar spine disorder, and the clinical significance of the trunk muscle mass remains unclear. In this review, we introduce our previous report and summarize previous papers on trunk muscles. Our multicenter cross-sectional study included 1,738 patients (mean age: 70.2±11.0 years; 781 men and 957 women) who visited the spinal outpatient clinic. The trunk muscle mass showed a negative correlation with age (p < 0.001), and the decrease accelerated at approximately 70 years of age. The trunk muscle mass was significantly correlated with the the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI), visual analog scale (VAS) for low back pain, sagittal vertical axis (SVA), and EuroQol 5 Dimension (EQ5D) (p < 0.001). Patient deterioration was associated with a decrease in the trunk muscle mass, and the deterioration accelerated from approximately 23 kg. The trunk muscle mass may play an important role to elucidate and treat lumbar spinal dysfunction and spinal deformity. It is necessary to conduct longitudinal studies to prove a causal relationship and establish an effective intervention method to maintain trunk muscles in the future.