Delayed onset muscle soreness effect on spinal stiffness and flexion-relaxation phenomenon of the lumbar spine

Abstract

This study aims to explore how Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness (DOMS) can induce changes in lumbar erector spinae neuromuscular activity, trunk kinematics and lumbar spine stiffness, and how DOMS can be confirmed as an experimental pain model for studying LBP mechanisms. Seventeen adult participants were asked to perform four sets of 25 repetitions of trunk flexion and extension. During these tasks, trunk muscle activity, spinal stiffness and kinematics were assessed. Our results suggest that in the presence of DOMS, significant increases in lumbar spine stiffness whereas only limited changes in flexion relaxation phenomenon parameters are observed.