ArticlePloS one2017
Atrophy of gluteus maximus among women with a history of chronic low back pain.
Article in PloS one, 2017. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT05521165 (Effect of Gluteus Medius Strengthening on Pain, Function, and Muscle Macromorphology in Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain), which is not on this map. Cited by 8 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Effect of Gluteus Medius Strengthening on Pain, Function, and Muscle Macromorphology in Nonspecific Chronic Low Back Pain
Who cites it
8 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 35 citations in OpenAlex.
- Changes in the macroscopic morphology of hip muscles in low back pain.Journal of anatomy · 2020Pooled it
- Effectiveness of a Group-Based Progressive Strength Training in Primary Care to Improve the Recurrence of Low Back Pain Exacerbations and Function: A Randomised Trial.International journal of environmental research and public health · 2020Trial
- Impact of gluteus maximus-focused intervention using Powers' program on chronic mechanical low back pain: A randomized controlled trial.BMC sports science, medicine & rehabilitation · 2026Article
- Impact of Hip Exercises on Postural Stability and Function in Patients with Chronic Lower Back Pain.Diagnostics (Basel, Switzerland) · 2025Article
- Improved Hip Flexibility and Gluteal Function Following a Daily Lunge-and-Reach Stretching Intervention.International journal of sports physical therapy · 2025Article
- The Cross-Sectional Area Assessment of Pelvic Muscles Using the MRI Manual Segmentation among Patients with Low Back Pain and Healthy Subjects.Journal of imaging · 2023Article
- Association of Piriformis Thickness, Hip Muscle Strength, and Low Back Pain Patients with and without Piriformis Syndrome in Malaysia.Life (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundAlthough the relationship between low back pain (LBP) and the size of certain trunk muscles has been extensively studied, the relationship between gluteus maximus (GM) size and LBP has been only minimally examined. Determining whether such a relationship exists would help improve our understanding of the etiology of LBP, and possibly provide a rationale for the use of therapeutic exercise interventions targeting GM with LBP patients. The objective of this study was to compare gluteus maximus cross-sectional area in individuals with chronic LBP, and in a group of individuals without LBP. Our hypothesis was that individuals with LBP would have greater atrophy in their gluteus maximus muscles than our control group. MATERIALS AND
methodsFor this case-control study, we analyzed medical history and pelvic computed tomography (CT) scans for 36 female patients with a history of chronic LBP, and 32 female patients without a history of LBP. Muscle cross-sectional area of gluteus maximus was measured from axial CT scans using OsiriX MD software, then was normalized to patient height, and used to compare the two groups. The number of back pain-related medical visits was also correlated with gluteus maximus cross-sectional area.
resultsMean normalized cross-sectional area was significantly smaller in the LBP group than in the control group, with t = 2.439 and P<0.05. The number of back pain-related visits was found to be significantly correlated with normalized cross-sectional area, with r = -0.270 and P<0.05. The atrophy seen in the present research may reflect incidental disuse atrophy seen with LBP, which is present in many muscle groups after prolonged immobilization or with a sedentary lifestyle.
conclusionsThis research demonstrated a previously only minimally explored relationship between gluteus maximus cross-sectional area and LBP in women. Further research is indicated in individuals with varying age, sex, and LBP diagnoses.
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