Lumbar muscle stiffness is different in individuals with low back pain than asymptomatic controls and is associated with pain and disability, but not common physical examination findings

Lumbar muscle dysfunction is commonly implicated in low back pain (LBP). Shear-wave elastography (SWE) uses ultrasound technology to quantify absolute soft tissue stiffness (shear modulus), thereby allowing for estimation of individual muscle contraction and function. To compare resting and contracted stiffness of lumbar spine musculature in individuals with and without LBP using SWE. A secondary aim was to explore for relationships between...