Development of a protocol for evaluating the fatigue of trunk extensor muscles based on a functional approach Abstract Chronic low back pain is often characterized by a loss of muscle strength and mainly by the great fatigability of back muscles. Current methods for quantitatively evaluating this fatigability require that tasks be performed that do not correspond to activities that are part of the work, which makes it impossible to determine the patient’s muscle endurance in an occupational context. They also require the measurement of maximum back strength, which is problematic in subjects suffering from back pain.This report describes the results of the initial developments of a test that consists of performing repeated back muscle contractions for 5 to 10 minutes, at moderate intensity. During this step, the validity of the construct of the protocol was established as well as the criterion validity and the reliability of some electromyographic indices based on back muscle activity. The researchers are now working on verifying other metric properties of the functional fatigue test. In the end, they hope to be able to follow the evolution of workers in rehabilitation, to validate muscle training methods, and to determine with more precision the possibilities of a return to work. Produced Under this Project Scientific Reports Development of a protocol for the electromyographic assessment of trunk extensor muscle endurance based on a functional approach Research Report: R-477 Scientific Publications Gender influence on fatigability of back muscles during intermittent isometric contractions: A study of the neuromuscular activation patternsGaudreault N., Christian Larivière, Gravel D., Gardiner P., Arsenault B., Gagnon D., Loisel P.Source : in Proceedings of the XVth Congress of the International Society of Electrophysiology & Kinesiology / ISEK, (15th : June 18-21, 2004 : Boston, USA), 2004, p. 197Development of a new functional test to assess the capacity of back muscles: Assessment of face validityChristian Larivière, Gravel D., Gardiner P., Arsenault B., Gagnon D., Loisel P.Source : in Proceedings of the XVth Congress of the International Society of Electrophysiology & Kinesiology / ISEK, (15th : June 18-21, 2004 : Boston, USA), 2004, p. 41Back muscle fatigue during submaximal intermittent isometric contractions : the influence of neuromuscular activation patternsChristian Larivière, Gravel D., Arsenault B., Gagnon D., Gardiner P.Source : in Proceedings XXth Congress of the International Society of Biomechanics and 29th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Biomechanics / ISB, (20th : July 31 - August 5, 2005 : Cleveland, Ohio), 2005Gender influence on fatigability of back muscles during intermittent isometric contractions: A study of the neuromuscular activation patternsChristian Larivière, Gravel D., Gagnon D., Gardiner P., Arsenault B., Gaudreault N.Source : Clinical Biomechanics, vol. 21, no 9, 2006, p. 893-904Preliminary development of a new EMG-based test to assess the capacity of back musclesChristian Larivière, Arsenault B., Gravel D., Gagnon D., Gardiner P., Loisel P.Source : in Proceedings of the XVIth Congress of the International Society of Electrophysiology & Kinesiology / ISEK (16th : June 29-July 1st, 2006 : Torino, Italy), 2006, p. 111Toward the development of predictive equations of back muscle capacity based on frequency– and temporal-domain electromyographic indices computed from intermittent static contractionsChristian Larivière, Gravel D., Gagnon D., Arsenault B.Source : Spine, vol. 9, no 1, 2009, p. 87-95The assessment of back muscle capacity using intermittent static contractions. Part I - Validity and reliability of electromyographic indices of fatigueChristian Larivière, Gagnon D., Gravel D., Arsenault B.Source : Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, vol. 18, no 6, 2008, p. 1006-1019The assessment of back muscle capacity using intermittent static contractions. Part II - Validity and reliability of biomechanical correlates of muscle fatigueChristian Larivière, Gravel D., Gagnon D., Arsenault B.Source : Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, vol. 18, no 6, 2008, p. 1020-1031A submaximal test to assess back muscle capacity: evaluation of construct validityChristian Larivière, Gravel D., Gardiner P., Arsenault A. B., Gagnon D., Loisel P.Source : Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, vol. 19, no 6 , 2009, p. e422-e429Assessment of back muscle fatigue using surface EMG: sex differences using different experimental paradigmsChristian LarivièreSource : in Sex/Gender and Surface EMG : Proceedings of the XXth Congress of the International Society of Electrophysiology & Kinesiology / ISEK (20th : July 15- 18, 2014 : Rome, Italy), 2014 Additional Information Type: Project Number: 0099-1740 Status: Completed Year of completion: 2006 Research Field: Occupational Rehabilitation Team: Christian Larivière (IRSST)A. Bertrand Arsenault (Université du Québec à Montréal )Denis Gagnon (Université du Québec à Montréal )Denis Gravel (Université du Québec à Montréal )Phillip Gardiner (Université du Québec à Montréal )Patrick Loisel (Université du Québec à Montréal )