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The lumbar multifidus muscle is a long, narrow muscle that is situated on both sides of the lumbar spine. It is a deep back muscle that plays a crucial role in providing stability and strength to the lower back. The lumbar multifidus muscle helps control the movement of individual vertebrae, preventing excessive motion, and maintaining proper alignment. Weakness or atrophy of the lumbar multifidus muscle is often associated with low back pain and can be caused by various factors such as age, injuries, poor posture, and physical inactivity. Strengthening exercises targeting the lumbar multifidus muscle can help prevent back pain and improve spinal stability.
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What You'll Learn
- The lumbar multifidus muscle is a deep back muscle
- It stabilises the lumbar spine
- Weakness in the lumbar multifidus muscle is associated with low back pain
- The lumbar multifidus muscle is vulnerable to physically demanding occupations and sedentary lifestyles
- Exercises to strengthen the lumbar multifidus muscle
The lumbar multifidus muscle is a deep back muscle
The multifidus muscle plays an important role in stabilising the joints within the spine. It is connected with the transversus abdominis via the thoracolumbar fascia. The lumbar multifidus muscle is a long muscle with several points of origin, including the back surface of the sacrum, the posterior superior iliac spine, and the mammillary processes of the lumbar vertebrae.
The lumbar multifidus muscle is an important stabiliser of the lumbar spine, providing strength and stability to the lower back. It helps to prevent excessive motion and maintains proper alignment. It accomplishes this by controlling the movement of individual vertebrae. The multifidus muscle is the innermost layer of three layers of muscles of the back, known as the deep layer. This deep layer is tasked with the movement of the spine.
Weakness in the multifidus muscle is associated with low back pain and can lead to spinal instability. Multifidus muscle weakness and atrophy is associated with chronic low back pain. Dysfunction in the lumbar multifidus muscles is strongly associated with low back pain and can be caused by inhibition of pain by the spine. Core stabilisation programs are suggested to increase multifidus cross-sectional area and decrease low back pain.
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It stabilises the lumbar spine
The lumbar multifidus muscle is a long, deep muscle in the back that plays a crucial role in stabilising the lumbar spine. It is a local core stabiliser, working alongside the transversus abdominis and pelvic floor muscles to provide support and stability to the lumbar spine. The multifidus muscle helps to control the movement of individual vertebrae, preventing excessive motion and maintaining proper alignment. This protective function helps to keep the lower back resilient and healthy.
The multifidus muscle is situated on both sides of the lumbar spine and is most developed in the lumbar area. It is composed of several fleshy and tendinous fasciculi, which fill the groove on either side of the spinous processes of the vertebrae. These fasciculi vary in length, with the deepest layer contributing more strength and stability to the spine than the more superficial layers. The deep layer of the multifidus muscle spans a shorter distance, connecting two adjacent vertebrae. When the muscle contracts, it contributes to a compression-type motion at the spinal joint, helping to stabilise the lumbar spine.
The lumbar multifidus muscle is vulnerable to various factors that can lead to its weakening or atrophy. Physical inactivity, poor posture, and sedentary lifestyles can contribute to multifidus-related issues. Additionally, trauma, accidents, and sports-related injuries can result in muscle strains or tears, affecting the integrity of the lumbar multifidus. Weakness in the multifidus muscle is strongly associated with low back pain, as it can lead to spinal instability, vertebral compression, and degeneration of joint structures.
To strengthen the lumbar multifidus muscle, specific exercises targeting the lumbar region can be performed. These include lifts that directly engage the lower back muscles and extensions that activate and contract them. Additionally, tensing the pelvic floor muscles for a few seconds, similar to stopping urination midstream, can help recruit and strengthen the lumbar multifidus. By addressing the health of this vital muscle, individuals can manage and prevent mechanical low back pain and maintain spinal stability.
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Weakness in the lumbar multifidus muscle is associated with low back pain
The lumbar multifidus muscle is a deep spinal stabilizer located along both sides of the lumbar spine. It is a group of short, triangular muscles that are part of the transversospinal group of deep back muscles. These muscles play an important role in stabilizing the lumbar spine and protecting the spine during movement.
Weakness or atrophy in the lumbar multifidus muscle is associated with low back pain. This weakness can be caused by inhibition of the muscle, which can lead to chronic low back pain. Inhibition of the lumbar multifidus muscle can occur due to overstretching caused by sudden movements, such as lifting heavy objects or participating in sports. Poor posture, such as slouching or hunching the shoulders, can also contribute to multifidus muscle weakness and subsequent pain.
The lumbar multifidus muscle has a high cross-sectional area, which gives it a high force-generating capacity. Investigators have categorized multifidus fiber types into layers, with the deepest layer contributing more strength and stability to the spine compared to the more superficial layers. This is because the deep layer has a shorter "excursion," resulting in more compression-type motion at the spinal joint during muscle contraction.
The dysfunction of the lumbar multifidus muscle is strongly associated with low back pain. This dysfunction can persist even after the pain has subsided, leading to high recurrence rates of low back pain. Core stabilization programs and physical therapy exercises are often recommended to increase the cross-sectional area of the multifidus muscle and decrease low back pain. One technique to strengthen the lumbar multifidus muscle is to tense the pelvic floor muscles for a few seconds, similar to the action of stopping urination midstream.
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The lumbar multifidus muscle is vulnerable to physically demanding occupations and sedentary lifestyles
The lumbar multifidus muscle is a long muscle that spans the whole length of the vertebral column and is most developed in the lumbar area. It is a deep back muscle that provides stability and strength to the lower back. It is considered a primary stabiliser of the lumbar spine, controlling the movement of individual vertebrae, preventing excessive motion, and maintaining proper alignment.
The lumbar multifidus muscle is vulnerable to physically demanding occupations. Workplace-related injuries, including those affecting the lumbar spine, account for a substantial percentage of overall injury statistics. Sports-related injuries are also a common cause of lumbar multifidus dysfunction, resulting in chronic lower back pain.
The lumbar multifidus muscle is also vulnerable to modern, sedentary lifestyles. A lack of physical activity and prolonged sitting can lead to muscle deconditioning, where the multifidus is not engaged as it should be. Physical inactivity is a global public health concern, with approximately 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men not active enough, potentially contributing to multifidus-related issues.
Poor posture can also place excessive stress on the lumbar multifidus muscle, leading to muscle dysfunction and an increased risk of developing chronic low back pain. Degenerative disc disease, a condition where the intervertebral discs of the spine deteriorate, can further affect the multifidus muscle's ability to provide support to the lumbar spine.
The weakening of the lumbar multifidus muscle can manifest as low back pain, ranging from a dull, persistent ache to sharp, debilitating discomfort. This pain can radiate to other areas of the body, such as the buttocks or legs. Strengthening the core muscles can help to strengthen the multifidus muscle as well, and specific exercises can be performed to target the lumbar multifidus directly.
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Exercises to strengthen the lumbar multifidus muscle
The lumbar multifidus muscle is a group of short, triangular muscles that are part of the transversospinal group of deep back muscles. They are the thickest muscles in the transversospinal group and are located just superficially to the spine itself. The multifidus muscle plays an important role in stabilising the lumbar spine and the joints within it. It also aids several movements of the vertebral column.
Weakness or dysfunction in the lumbar multifidus muscle is associated with low back pain. To prevent this, it is important to strengthen the multifidus muscle. This can be done through specific exercises that target the muscle. Here are some exercises to strengthen the lumbar multifidus muscle:
- Isolating the muscle: The first step in retraining the stabilising muscles of the core is to learn to isolate the lumbar multifidus muscle. This can be done by lying on your back or side with your spine in a neutral posture. Try to produce a deep contraction of the multifidus muscle, isolated from the long back extensors.
- Pelvic floor exercises: The multifidus muscle functions together with the pelvic floor muscles for spine stability. Tensing the pelvic floor muscles for a few seconds, as if stopping urination midstream, can help strengthen the lumbar multifidus muscle.
- The Birddog: This exercise is a great way to activate the multifidus and encourage lumbar spine stability. Get on your hands and knees, positioning your shoulders directly over your wrists and your hips over your knees. Engage your abdominal muscles and lift your right leg straight back while keeping your hips level. As soon as you feel stable, lift your left arm forward, then stretch your body out. Hold this position for a few seconds before returning to the starting position.
- Superman exercise: The superman exercise has been found to be the most effective trunk-stabiliser exercise for back-stabiliser activation.
- Side bridge: This exercise is optimal for lower-abdominal muscle activation.
- Active or resisted lumbar extension: Active or resisted lumbar extension can increase the activity of the lumbar multifidus and longissimus thoracicus muscles during exercise.
It is important to note that core stability exercises that only work in the sagittal plane of motion, such as crunches and planks, do not effectively train the multifidus muscle. Instead, the multifidus is activated most when stability in the transverse plane of motion is required.
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Frequently asked questions
The lumbar multifidus muscle is a deep back muscle that helps to stabilise the lumbar spine.
The lumbar multifidus muscle provides stability and strength to the lower back. It also helps the back to bend, tilt and twist.
The lumbar multifidus muscle is located on both sides of the lumbar spine. It is the innermost layer of three layers of muscles of the back.
You can strengthen your lumbar multifidus muscle by performing exercises that target the lumbar muscles directly, such as lifts and extensions. You can also tense your pelvic floor muscles for a few seconds, as if stopping urination midstream.
A weak lumbar multifidus muscle can lead to spinal instability, vertebral compression, and back pain. It is also associated with low back pain, which can range from a dull ache to sharp discomfort.
