Volume 15, Issue 3 (Summer 2026)
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Rezazadeh F, aali S, yousefi M. Frequency pattern of lower limb muscle activity in athletes with hamstring injury and chronic nonspecific low back pain during walking. aumj 2026; 15 (3) : 7
URL: http://aums.abzums.ac.ir/article-1-1978-en.html
URL: http://aums.abzums.ac.ir/article-1-1978-en.html
1- Department of Sport Biomechanics, Faculty of Educational Science and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran , rezazadeh.farhad@uma.ac.ir
2- Department of Sport Science Education, Farhangian University, P.O., Tehran, Iran.
3- Department of Sports Biomechanics, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
2- Department of Sport Science Education, Farhangian University, P.O., Tehran, Iran.
3- Department of Sports Biomechanics, Faculty of Educational Sciences and Psychology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.
Abstract: (28 Views)
Introduction: Walking is a fundamental indicator of motor performance and functional neuromuscular control, and alterations in gait patterns among athletes have been associated with an increased risk of musculoskeletal injury and the persistence of low back pain. The coexistence of hamstring injury and chronic nonspecific low back pain may disrupt normal neuromuscular coordination and modify the activation patterns of lower-limb muscles during locomotion. Such alterations may reflect adaptive or compensatory strategies adopted to maintain gait stability and lumbopelvic control. Therefore, this study aimed to compare the frequency spectrum of electrical activity in selected lower-limb muscles during walking between athletes with concomitant hamstring injury and chronic nonspecific low back pain and healthy athletes.
Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study included 40 athletes aged 16–35 years who were assigned to a case group with concomitant hamstring injury and chronic nonspecific low back pain (n = 20) and a healthy control group (n = 20). Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to record the electrical activity of eight selected lower-limb muscles, including the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, biceps femoris, and gluteus medius, during walking. The median frequency of muscle electrical activity was calculated during three distinct phases of the gait cycle: heel strike, mid-stance, and push-off. Between-group differences were analyzed using independent-samples t-tests. The study was reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili (IR.UMA.REC.1404.029).
Results: Statistically significant between-group differences were identified in the frequency spectrum of the vastus medialis (p = 0.028) and rectus femoris (p = 0.006) during the heel-strike phase. During mid-stance, significant differences were observed in the tibialis anterior (p = 0.012), vastus lateralis (p = 0.021), and vastus medialis (p = 0.018). During the push-off phase, significant between-group differences were detected in the rectus femoris (p = 0.049) and biceps femoris (p = 0.019). These findings indicate phase-specific alterations in the frequency characteristics of lower-limb muscle activation among athletes presenting with concomitant hamstring injury and chronic nonspecific low back pain compared with healthy athletes.
Conclusion: The observed alterations in the frequency spectrum of lower-limb muscle activity across different phases of gait may reflect compensatory neuromuscular adaptations aimed at maintaining dynamic stability and controlling the lumbopelvic region in athletes with concomitant hamstring injury and chronic nonspecific low back pain. The identification of phase-specific changes in muscle activation patterns may provide clinically relevant information for understanding altered gait mechanics in this population. These findings may also contribute to the development of individualized and targeted rehabilitation programs designed to restore optimal neuromuscular coordination, correct abnormal muscle activation patterns, improve lumbopelvic stability, and potentially reduce excessive mechanical loading on the lumbar spine.
Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study included 40 athletes aged 16–35 years who were assigned to a case group with concomitant hamstring injury and chronic nonspecific low back pain (n = 20) and a healthy control group (n = 20). Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to record the electrical activity of eight selected lower-limb muscles, including the tibialis anterior, gastrocnemius, vastus medialis, vastus lateralis, rectus femoris, semitendinosus, biceps femoris, and gluteus medius, during walking. The median frequency of muscle electrical activity was calculated during three distinct phases of the gait cycle: heel strike, mid-stance, and push-off. Between-group differences were analyzed using independent-samples t-tests. The study was reviewed and approved by the Research Ethics Committee of the University of Mohaghegh Ardabili (IR.UMA.REC.1404.029).
Results: Statistically significant between-group differences were identified in the frequency spectrum of the vastus medialis (p = 0.028) and rectus femoris (p = 0.006) during the heel-strike phase. During mid-stance, significant differences were observed in the tibialis anterior (p = 0.012), vastus lateralis (p = 0.021), and vastus medialis (p = 0.018). During the push-off phase, significant between-group differences were detected in the rectus femoris (p = 0.049) and biceps femoris (p = 0.019). These findings indicate phase-specific alterations in the frequency characteristics of lower-limb muscle activation among athletes presenting with concomitant hamstring injury and chronic nonspecific low back pain compared with healthy athletes.
Conclusion: The observed alterations in the frequency spectrum of lower-limb muscle activity across different phases of gait may reflect compensatory neuromuscular adaptations aimed at maintaining dynamic stability and controlling the lumbopelvic region in athletes with concomitant hamstring injury and chronic nonspecific low back pain. The identification of phase-specific changes in muscle activation patterns may provide clinically relevant information for understanding altered gait mechanics in this population. These findings may also contribute to the development of individualized and targeted rehabilitation programs designed to restore optimal neuromuscular coordination, correct abnormal muscle activation patterns, improve lumbopelvic stability, and potentially reduce excessive mechanical loading on the lumbar spine.
Article number: 7
Type of Study: Research |
Subject:
General
Received: 2025/11/23 | Accepted: 2026/01/25 | Published: 2026/09/22
Received: 2025/11/23 | Accepted: 2026/01/25 | Published: 2026/09/22
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