Can Electrical Muscle Stimulation Activate Deep Spine Muscles That Regular Exercise Often Misses? A Korean–U.S. University Study Looks Inside the Lower Back

A University Study Looked at the Deep Muscles Most People Cannot Activate

ORIEMS FIT RESEARCH DIGEST — FOR PEOPLE WITH BACK OR SCIATIC PAIN

If you have back pain or sciatic pain, you may have tried:

• Core exercises

• Stretching

• Physiotherapy

• Walking or gym programs

Yet the pain often returns.

This research does not promise pain relief.
But it explains one hidden reason why pain can persist.

This article is part of the Oriems Fit Research Digest, where we explain real research in simple language to help you better understand your body.

For research enthusiasts and fact-checkers, a direct PubMed link to the original study is provided at the end of this post.

A SIMPLE QUESTION MANY PEOPLE WITH PAIN ASK

“Why does my back still feel unstable or weak, even when I exercise?”

Doctors and researchers have found one common issue:

👉 The deepest support muscles of the spine often stop working properly.

WHAT ARE “DEEP LUMBAR STABILIZING MUSCLES”?

These are small muscles deep inside your body, close to the spine:

• Lumbar multifidus

• Transversus abdominis

• Obliquus internus

They act like:

🧱 Internal braces that protect the spine

They do not create big movement.
They control tiny, important movements between spinal bones.

When these muscles are inactive:

• The spine moves more than it should

• Nerves become easier to irritate

• Pain can keep coming back

This is often seen in chronic back pain and sciatic-type pain.

WHAT DID THIS STUDY TRY TO FIND OUT?

Question:
Can neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) activate these deep spine muscles when exercise alone struggles?

The researchers wanted to see, not guess.

So they used real-time ultrasound imaging to watch muscles activate live.

WHO WAS STUDIED?

The study involved:

• 20 older adults

• Average age: 66

• People with lumbar degenerative kyphosis, a condition linked to:

  • Stooped posture

  • Weak spinal muscles

  • Chronic low back pain

These are people very similar to many who live with long-term back discomfort.

WHAT DID THE PARTICIPANTS DO?

Small electrical pads were placed on:

• The abdomen

• The lower back

• Or both together

The stimulation caused muscles to contract.

Researchers watched the muscles on ultrasound to see which ones actually turned on.

WHAT DID THE STUDY FIND? (IMPORTANT FOR PAIN SUFFERERS)

✅ Deep spine muscles activated

The lumbar multifidus, a key stabilizing muscle often “switched off” in pain sufferers, became thicker and more active during stimulation.

✅ Deep abdominal support muscles activated

Muscles that help protect the spine from the front also activated.

✅ Best activation happened when both areas were stimulated

When abdomen and lower back were stimulated together, all key stabilizing muscles activated at once.

This matters because these muscles are very difficult to activate voluntarily, especially when pain is present.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR PEOPLE WITH BACK OR SCIATIC PAIN?

This study does not say NMES treats pain.

What it helps explain is this:

When deep stabilizing muscles are inactive,
the spine becomes harder to control,
and nerves like the sciatic nerve may become easier to irritate.

By showing that these muscles can be activated, the study helps explain:

• Why instability can persist

• Why pain can return

• Why some people feel their back is “not supported”

WHY THIS MATTERS EVEN IF YOU’VE DONE PHYSIO

Many people with pain:

• Try exercises correctly

• Still cannot “find” these deep muscles

• Feel stronger but not more stable

This research helps explain why:
👉 Some muscles are simply hard to access without assistance.

IMPORTANT BOUNDARY (PLEASE READ)

❌ This study does NOT claim:

• Pain relief

• Sciatica treatment

• Nerve healing

• Medical outcomes

✅ It DOES show:

• Deep stabilizing muscles can activate with NMES

• Activation can be objectively measured

• These muscles are closely linked to spinal control

STUDY DETAILS

Original Study Title:
The effects of transcutaneous neuromuscular electrical stimulation on the activation of deep lumbar stabilizing muscles of patients with lumbar degenerative kyphosis

Published in:
Journal of Physical Therapy Science (peer-reviewed)

Why it’s trustworthy:

• University hospital research

• Ultrasound imaging (not opinions)

• Clear, measurable muscle activation

📊 SIMPLE STUDY SUMMARY

👉 Original study on PubMed:
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/27064323/

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A FINAL THOUGHT FOR PEOPLE IN PAIN

This research reminds us of something important:

Pain is not always about damage.
Sometimes it’s about muscles that stopped helping.

Understanding this can change how people think about their bodies — without false hope, and without pressure.

⚠️ DISCLAIMER

This blog post is for informational and educational purposes only.
It does not provide medical advice.
Always consult a qualified healthcare professional regarding pain or injury.

Full disclaimer:
https://oriems.fit/blogs/research-digest/disclaimer