ArticleJournal of pain research2025
Diaphragm Fatigue Does Not Impact Breathing Mechanics or Function in People with Chronic Low Back Pain.
Article in Journal of pain research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.
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.
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.
Who cites it
1 citing paper in PubMed.
- Multidimensional Dysfunction in Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: A Correlational Study of Key Clinical Measures.Pain research & management · 2026Article
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
6 authors.
Funding
Abstract
Background and Objective: The diaphragm is an important respiratory muscle that also plays a crucial role in developing intra-abdominal pressure and assisting in spinal stability. Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a complex musculoskeletal condition and has been associated with respiratory problems and altered breathing mechanics. The purpose of this comparative cross-sectional study is to investigate whether diaphragm fatigue affects breathing mechanics and function in individuals with CLBP. Methods: Volunteers were recruited between the ages of 35-65 years old with and without CLBP. Participants performed 30 minutes of exercises intended to fatigue the diaphragm. The following respiratory parameters were measured: Breathing mechanics (chest and abdominal movement and respiratory rate), diaphragm function (forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) using a handheld spirometer), and diaphragm movement as measured by sub-diaphragm (L1 to diaphragm domes) volume changes at the end of exhalation and inhalation using MRI scans. Results: A total of 36 participants were recruited (n = 21M; n = 15F), with 18 participants suffering from CLBP (n = 10M; 8F) and 18 participants serving as a comparison group (n = 11M; n = 7F). There were no differences in breathing mechanics, diaphragm function or excursion (volumetrics) between people with and without CLBP after 30 minutes of exercises intended to fatigue the diaphragm. Conclusion: The lack of differences suggests that the diaphragm, regardless of its fatigue status as a spinal stabilizer, will not relinquish or weaken its function as a breathing muscle, though it may be less effective as a spinal stabilizer. Individuals with chronic or recurrent low back pain might therefore be more susceptible to subsequent pain flare-ups than non-symptomatic individuals. A potential clinical implication of these findings is that incorporating diaphragmatic breathing exercises to enhance diaphragm function may offer an effective treatment option for patients with CLBP.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
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.