Is there a relationship between lower lumbar disc herniation and multifidus muscle volume in postmenopausal women?

Abstract

Background/Aim: Lumbar disc herniation (LDH) is the most common cause of low back pain. It can also cause radiculopathy, sciatica, loss of sensation and motor loss due to pressure on the nerve roots. The multifidus muscle protects the lumbar axis. The aim of this study is to investigate the relationship between volumetric measurements and the degree of atrophy in the multifidus muscles with LDH in postmenopausal women. Methods: This case-control, retrospective study included 207 postmenopausal women with disc herniation on lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and 183 reproductive period-premenopausal women with a mean age of 47.12 (10.07) years who were admittd to Adıyaman Training and Research Hospital between March 2020 and March 2021. LDH was detected at L4-L5 and L5-S1 levels on axial T2W lumbar MRI images. At these levels, the multifidus muscle volume was measured from the superior and inferior end plates of the vertebral bodies. The measurement of total volume was called multifidus total muscle volume (M-TMV), and the measurement made from the area without fat infiltration was called multifidus functional muscle volume (M-FMV). The M-TMV/FMV value was obtained to determine the degree of fat atrophy. Statistical analyses were performed, in which P