Abstract
Active abdominal scars can cause a variety of clinical problems, including back pain. When palpating the activity of the abdominal muscles near the scar, the muscle of this side appears to be less active than on the opposite side.
To verify this palpation sensation, we chose the method of surface electromyography in 14 patients with active scarring. The control group consisted of 13 people.
We monitored the EMG activity of the rectus abdominis l.dx. et sin. a mm. erectores spinae l. dx and sin. when lifting the head and head and shoulders in a supine position and lying on the abdomen. In people with active scarring, measurements were made before and after scar therapy with soft techniques.
According to the superficial EMG, greater activity of the rectus abdominis was found on the side of the scar in 6 cases and on the opposite side in 7 cases. After therapy, asymmetry in rectus abdominis activation decreased in 7 patients.
Thus, the lateral difference in rectus abdominis activation decreased significantly after therapy (p = 0.045). Asymmetry in rectus abdominis activation was also found in the control group, but this asymmetry was significantly less than in those with active scarring (p = 0.029).
The discrepancy between palpation perception and the results of EMG measurements leads us to criticize the evaluation of palpation muscle tone, when palpation perception is affected by the quality of soft tissues above the examined muscle, and therefore it is not possible to speak of muscle tone during routine palpation.