Architecture of the rectus abdominis, quadratus lumborum, and erector spinae

Scott L. Delp; Srikanth Suryanarayanan; Wendy M. Murray; Jim Uhlir; Ronald J. Triolo

doi:10.1016/S0021-9290(00)00202-5

Architecture of the rectus abdominis, quadratus lumborum, and erector spinae

Scott L. Delp^*, Srikanth Suryanarayanan, Wendy M. Murray, Jim Uhlir, Ronald J. Triolo

^*Corresponding author for this work

Biomedical Engineering

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

86 Scopus citations

Abstract

Quantitative descriptions of muscle architecture are needed to characterize the force-generating capabilities of muscles. This study reports the architecture of three major trunk muscles: the rectus abdominis, quadratus lumborum, and three columns of the erector spinae (spinalis thoracis, longissimus thoracis and iliocostalis lumborum). Musculotendon lengths, muscle lengths, fascicle lengths, sarcomere lengths, pennation angles, and muscle masses were measured in five cadavers. Optimal fascicle lengths (the fascicle length at which the muscle generates maximum force) and physiologic cross-sectional areas (the ratio of muscle volume to optimal fascicle length) were computed from these measurements. The rectus abdominis had the longest fascicles of the muscles studied, with a mean (S.D.) optimal fascicle length of 28.3 (4.2)cm. The three columns of the erector spinae had mean optimal fascicle lengths that ranged from 6.4 (0.6)cm in the spinalis thoracis to 14.2 (2.1)cm in the iliocostalis lumborum. The proximal portion of the quadratus lumborum had a mean optimal fascicle length of 8.5 (1.5)cm and the distal segment of this muscle had a mean optimal fascicle length of 5.6 (0.9)cm. The physiologic cross-sectional area of the rectus abdominis was 2.6 (0.9)cm², the combined physiologic cross-sectional area of the erector spinae was 11.6 (1.8)cm², and the physiologic cross-sectional area of the quadratus lumborum was 2.8 (0.5)cm². These data provide the basis for estimation of the force-generating potential of these muscles.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	371-375
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Biomechanics
Volume	34
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/S0021-9290(00)00202-5
State	Published - 2001

Funding

We thank Dr. Richard Lieber for sharing his expertise on measurement of muscle architecture and estimation of sarcomere lengths with laser diffraction. We also thank Dr. Gabriel, Dr. Okumo, Dr. Bhadra, Dr. Vasavada, Mahi Dhurbakula and Esther Barnes for their help with the anatomical studies and data analysis. This study was supported in part by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH-NINDS-N01-NS-6-2351).

Keywords

Architecture
Erector spinae
Muscle
Trunk

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Biophysics
Orthopedics and Sports Medicine
Biomedical Engineering
Rehabilitation

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Cite this

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title = "Architecture of the rectus abdominis, quadratus lumborum, and erector spinae",

abstract = "Quantitative descriptions of muscle architecture are needed to characterize the force-generating capabilities of muscles. This study reports the architecture of three major trunk muscles: the rectus abdominis, quadratus lumborum, and three columns of the erector spinae (spinalis thoracis, longissimus thoracis and iliocostalis lumborum). Musculotendon lengths, muscle lengths, fascicle lengths, sarcomere lengths, pennation angles, and muscle masses were measured in five cadavers. Optimal fascicle lengths (the fascicle length at which the muscle generates maximum force) and physiologic cross-sectional areas (the ratio of muscle volume to optimal fascicle length) were computed from these measurements. The rectus abdominis had the longest fascicles of the muscles studied, with a mean (S.D.) optimal fascicle length of 28.3 (4.2)cm. The three columns of the erector spinae had mean optimal fascicle lengths that ranged from 6.4 (0.6)cm in the spinalis thoracis to 14.2 (2.1)cm in the iliocostalis lumborum. The proximal portion of the quadratus lumborum had a mean optimal fascicle length of 8.5 (1.5)cm and the distal segment of this muscle had a mean optimal fascicle length of 5.6 (0.9)cm. The physiologic cross-sectional area of the rectus abdominis was 2.6 (0.9)cm2, the combined physiologic cross-sectional area of the erector spinae was 11.6 (1.8)cm2, and the physiologic cross-sectional area of the quadratus lumborum was 2.8 (0.5)cm2. These data provide the basis for estimation of the force-generating potential of these muscles.",

keywords = "Architecture, Erector spinae, Muscle, Trunk",

author = "Delp, {Scott L.} and Srikanth Suryanarayanan and Murray, {Wendy M.} and Jim Uhlir and Triolo, {Ronald J.}",

note = "Funding Information: We thank Dr. Richard Lieber for sharing his expertise on measurement of muscle architecture and estimation of sarcomere lengths with laser diffraction. We also thank Dr. Gabriel, Dr. Okumo, Dr. Bhadra, Dr. Vasavada, Mahi Dhurbakula and Esther Barnes for their help with the anatomical studies and data analysis. This study was supported in part by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH-NINDS-N01-NS-6-2351).",

year = "2001",

doi = "10.1016/S0021-9290(00)00202-5",

language = "English (US)",

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AU - Murray, Wendy M.

AU - Uhlir, Jim

AU - Triolo, Ronald J.

N1 - Funding Information: We thank Dr. Richard Lieber for sharing his expertise on measurement of muscle architecture and estimation of sarcomere lengths with laser diffraction. We also thank Dr. Gabriel, Dr. Okumo, Dr. Bhadra, Dr. Vasavada, Mahi Dhurbakula and Esther Barnes for their help with the anatomical studies and data analysis. This study was supported in part by a grant from the National Institutes of Health (NIH-NINDS-N01-NS-6-2351).

PY - 2001

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N2 - Quantitative descriptions of muscle architecture are needed to characterize the force-generating capabilities of muscles. This study reports the architecture of three major trunk muscles: the rectus abdominis, quadratus lumborum, and three columns of the erector spinae (spinalis thoracis, longissimus thoracis and iliocostalis lumborum). Musculotendon lengths, muscle lengths, fascicle lengths, sarcomere lengths, pennation angles, and muscle masses were measured in five cadavers. Optimal fascicle lengths (the fascicle length at which the muscle generates maximum force) and physiologic cross-sectional areas (the ratio of muscle volume to optimal fascicle length) were computed from these measurements. The rectus abdominis had the longest fascicles of the muscles studied, with a mean (S.D.) optimal fascicle length of 28.3 (4.2)cm. The three columns of the erector spinae had mean optimal fascicle lengths that ranged from 6.4 (0.6)cm in the spinalis thoracis to 14.2 (2.1)cm in the iliocostalis lumborum. The proximal portion of the quadratus lumborum had a mean optimal fascicle length of 8.5 (1.5)cm and the distal segment of this muscle had a mean optimal fascicle length of 5.6 (0.9)cm. The physiologic cross-sectional area of the rectus abdominis was 2.6 (0.9)cm2, the combined physiologic cross-sectional area of the erector spinae was 11.6 (1.8)cm2, and the physiologic cross-sectional area of the quadratus lumborum was 2.8 (0.5)cm2. These data provide the basis for estimation of the force-generating potential of these muscles.

AB - Quantitative descriptions of muscle architecture are needed to characterize the force-generating capabilities of muscles. This study reports the architecture of three major trunk muscles: the rectus abdominis, quadratus lumborum, and three columns of the erector spinae (spinalis thoracis, longissimus thoracis and iliocostalis lumborum). Musculotendon lengths, muscle lengths, fascicle lengths, sarcomere lengths, pennation angles, and muscle masses were measured in five cadavers. Optimal fascicle lengths (the fascicle length at which the muscle generates maximum force) and physiologic cross-sectional areas (the ratio of muscle volume to optimal fascicle length) were computed from these measurements. The rectus abdominis had the longest fascicles of the muscles studied, with a mean (S.D.) optimal fascicle length of 28.3 (4.2)cm. The three columns of the erector spinae had mean optimal fascicle lengths that ranged from 6.4 (0.6)cm in the spinalis thoracis to 14.2 (2.1)cm in the iliocostalis lumborum. The proximal portion of the quadratus lumborum had a mean optimal fascicle length of 8.5 (1.5)cm and the distal segment of this muscle had a mean optimal fascicle length of 5.6 (0.9)cm. The physiologic cross-sectional area of the rectus abdominis was 2.6 (0.9)cm2, the combined physiologic cross-sectional area of the erector spinae was 11.6 (1.8)cm2, and the physiologic cross-sectional area of the quadratus lumborum was 2.8 (0.5)cm2. These data provide the basis for estimation of the force-generating potential of these muscles.

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Architecture of the rectus abdominis, quadratus lumborum, and erector spinae

Abstract

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