Ann Rehabil Med.  2022 Jun;46(3):122-132. 10.5535/arm.21201.

Associations Between Trunk Muscle/Fat Composition, Narrowing Lumbar Disc Space, and Low Back Pain in Middle-Aged Farmers: A Cross-Sectional Study

• Baek S
• Park Hw
• Kim G

• KMID: 2531283
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5535/arm.21201

Abstract

Objective
To investigate the association of trunk fat and muscle composition, lumbar disc space narrowing, and low back pain in middle-aged farmers.
Methods
Fat and muscle areas were identified using standard Hounsfield unit ranges for adipose tissue and skeletal muscle with computed tomography images at the mid-L4 vertebral level. Trunk fat mass, muscle mass, and fat/muscle mass ratio were calculated. Low back pain was assessed using the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). The L4/5-disc space and low back pain were also assessed.
Results
Male had a higher total trunk, back, psoas, and abdominal muscle mass, and visceral fat; female had a higher subcutaneous fat mass and fat/muscle ratio. Pearson correlation coefficients with ODI for waist circumference, total fat mass, visceral fat mass, and fat/muscle ratio were all significant in female; only the fat/muscle ratio was significant in male. Pearson correlation coefficients with L4/5-disc space narrowing grades for visceral fat mass, total, back, and psoas muscle mass, and fat/muscle ratio, were all significant in female; total and back muscle mass, and fat/muscle ratio in male.
Conclusion
There were significant relationships between: fat indicators with low back pain; trunk muscle mass with lumbar disc degeneration; and fat/muscle ratio with both lumbar disc degeneration and low back pain. The fat/muscle ratio may be a useful index for low back pain.

Keyword

Abdominal fat; Back muscles; Farmers; Intervertebral disc degeneration; Low back pain

Figure

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  Fig. 1. Computed tomography images at the mid-T4 level. (A) Ten consecutive image slices of 1-mm thickness were taken, covering a total thickness of 10 mm. (B) Automatically derived total muscle and fat volume using the threshold technique. (C) Manually subdivided back and psoas muscle masses and visceral fat.

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