Evidence map›Paper›PMID 35618974›Full record

ArticleEuropean spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society2022

Muscle spindles of the multifidus muscle undergo structural change after intervertebral disc degeneration.

Gregory James, Carla Stecco, Linda Blomster, Leanne Hall, Annina B Schmid, Cindy C Shu, Christopher B Little, James Melrose, Paul W Hodges

Open access · hybridAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society, 2022. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 31 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
31citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
6.6field-weighted citation impact, top 3% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

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.

2 · The registry

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.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

31 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 41 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Pooled it
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  6. Letter to the Editor Re: "Lumbar multifidus muscle morphology on MRI after restorative neurostimulation for chronic low back pain: a single centre case series using the Goutallier classification" by Whittle et al. (Eur Spine J [2026]: DOI: 10.1007/s00586-026-09863-8).European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
    Article
  7. Real-world two-year durability of restorative neurostimulation for treatment of multifidus dysfunction in patients with chronic low back pain: an observational German cohort study.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2026
    Observational
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  13. ISSLS Prize in Basic Science 2025: Structural changes of muscle spindles in the multifidus muscle after intervertebral disk injury are resolved by targeted activation of the muscle.European spine journal : official publication of the European Spine Society, the European Spinal Deformity Society, and the European Section of the Cervical Spine Research Society · 2025
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 3 countries.

Gregory JamesCentre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
Carla SteccoHuman Anatomy and Movement Science, University of Padua, Padua, Italy.
Linda BlomsterCentre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
Leanne HallCentre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
Annina B SchmidCentre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia.
Cindy C ShuRaymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratories, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Institute of Bone and Joint Research, The Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW, Australia.
Christopher B LittleRaymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratories, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Institute of Bone and Joint Research, The Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW, Australia.
James MelroseRaymond Purves Bone and Joint Research Laboratories, Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Institute of Bone and Joint Research, The Royal North Shore Hospital, University of Sydney, St Leonards, NSW, Australia.
Paul W HodgesCentre of Clinical Research Excellence in Spinal Pain, Injury and Health, School of Health & Rehabilitation Sciences, University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, 4072, Australia. p.hodges@uq.edu.au.ORCID 0000-0002-1206-9107
Queensland Health · AUThe University of Sydney · AUThe University of Queensland · AUUniversity of Padua · IT

Funding

Wellcome Trust 222101
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeProprioceptive deficits are common in low back pain. The multifidus muscle undergoes substantial structural change after back injury, but whether muscle spindles are affected is unclear. This study investigated whether muscle spindles of the multifidus muscle are changed by intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration in a large animal model.

methodsIVD degeneration was induced by partial thickness annulus fibrosus lesion to the L3-4 IVD in nine sheep. Multifidus muscle tissue at L4 was harvested at six months after lesion, and from six age-/sex-matched naïve control animals. Muscle spindles were identified in Van Gieson's-stained sections by morphology. The number, location and cross-sectional area (CSA) of spindles, the number, type and CSA of intrafusal fibers, and thickness of the spindle capsule were measured. Immunofluorescence assays examined Collagen I and III expression.

resultsMultifidus muscle spindles were located centrally in the muscle and generally near connective tissue. There were no differences in the number or location of muscle spindles after IVD degeneration and only changes in the CSA of nuclear chain fibers. The thickness of connective tissue surrounding the muscle spindle was increased as was the expression of Collagen I and III.

conclusionChanges to the connective tissue and collagen expression of the muscle spindle capsule are likely to impact their mechanical properties. Changes in capsule stiffness may impact the transmission of length change to muscle spindles and thus transduction of sensory information. This change in muscle spindle structure may explain some of the proprioceptive deficits identified with low back pain.

Indexed as

Intervertebral DiscIntervertebral Disc DegenerationLow Back PainAnimalsCollagenCollagen Type IMuscle SpindlesParaspinal MusclesSheepCollagenCollagen Type IConnective tissueIntervertebral disc degenerationMultifidusMuscle spindleProprioception

Identifiers

PMID35618974
PMCPMC7613463
OpenAlexW4281610121

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.