Evaluation of the relationship between laboratory and clinical tests of transversus abdominis function.

Abstract

A clinical test of the function of the deep abdominal muscles was compared to a laboratory electromyographic (EMG) investigation of the contribution of transversus abdominis (TrA) to stability of the lumbar spine during limb movement. The two different functions of TrA were evaluated in 15 subjects. The subject group included six subjects with chronic low back pain and nine subjects with no history of low back pain so that the resultant recordings were spread over a wide range for each test. The clinical test involved quantification of the ability of the subjects to specifically displace the anterior abdominal wall in a way consistent with the function of the muscle. This was evaluated by us..