27/03/2026
Are you screening for multifidus dysfunction?
For many patients with mechanical chronic low back pain, the answer to their persistent symptoms may already be visible on imaging - hiding in plain sight.
In these patients, inhibition reduces neural drive to the multifidus, leading to dysfunction and a loss of neuromuscular control. The presence of fatty infiltration indicates multifidus muscle dysfunction that further compromises stability and perpetuates the cycle of chronic pain in this patient population.
Multifidus dysfunction isn't a secondary finding. It may be the primary driver.