Chinese Journal of Tissue Engineering Research ›› 2026, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (28): 7323-7331.doi: 10.12307/2026.808

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Synergistic imbalance in lumbar core muscles and novel targeted interventions for intervertebral disc degeneration

You Chenyang1, Jiang Chao2, Che Yanjun2   

  1. 1School of Medical Imaging, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu Province, China; 2Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center, Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou 215000, Jiangsu Province, China
  • Received:2025-09-17 Revised:2025-12-12 Online:2026-10-08 Published:2026-02-11
  • Contact: Che Yanjun, MD, Associate chief physician, Associate professor, Department of Orthopedics and Sports Medicine Center, Affiliated Suzhou Hospital of Nanjing Medical University, Suzhou 215000, Jiangsu Province, China
  • About author:You Chenyang, School of Medical Imaging, Nanjing Medical University, Nanjing 211166, Jiangsu Province, China
  • Supported by:
    Jiangsu Provincial Innovation and Entrepreneurship Talent Program Project, No. JSSCBS20211588 (to CYJ); Suzhou Gusu Health Talent Program Research Project, No. GSWS2021035 (to CYJ); Suzhou Major Disease Multicenter Clinical Research Project, No. DZXYJ202307 (to CYJ); Suzhou Science and Technology Development Plan (Medical and Health Science and Technology Innovation) Project, No. SKY2022185 (to CYJ); Suzhou Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine Research Fund Project, No. SKYD2023254 (to CYJ); Clinical Research Project of Nanjing Medical University Gusu College, No. GSKY20240208 (to CYJ); Clinical Research Project of Nanjing Medical University Gusu College, No. GSKY20230402 (to CYJ); Educational Research Project of Nanjing Medical University, No. 2023ZC081 (to CYJ); Suzhou Science and Technology Breakthrough Plan (Medical and Health Innovation) Project, No. SYWD2025002 (to CYJ) 

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Research on the mechanical stability imbalance mechanism in intervertebral disc degeneration has long focused on the paraspinal muscles, with insufficient attention paid to the anterior/posterior abdominal wall and hip core muscle groups. There is a particular lack of systematic analysis of the synergistic actions of multiple muscle groups, and the link between molecular mechanisms and muscle function remains unclear.
OBJECTIVE: To integrate evidence on the association between the anterior/posterior abdominal wall, paraspinal, and hip core muscle groups and intervertebral disc degeneration, to elucidate interaction of synergistic muscle imbalance with molecular pathways such as Piezo1–YAP, and to propose targeted prevention and treatment strategies.
METHODS: A search was conducted in CNKI, WanFang, PubMed and Web of Science using a combination of MeSH terms (e.g., transversus abdominis[MeSH]) and free terms (e.g., TrA, IVDD) connected by Boolean operators (AND/OR) for muscle anatomical terms (transversus abdominis, gluteus maximus, etc.), disease terms (intervertebral disc degeneration, low back pain, etc.), and study types (RCT, cohort study, etc.). Ultimately, 61 articles were selected for analysis based on predefined criteria.
RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: There is a complex relationship between the lumbar core muscle groups and intervertebral disc degeneration. The transversus abdominis maintains lumbar stability by regulating intra-abdominal pressure and thoracolumbar fascia tension; its decompensation (inhibition/atrophy) is a key pathological feature of disc degeneration. Meanwhile, patients with disc degeneration exhibit characteristic synergistic dysfunctions in the core muscle groups: (1) Antagonistic compensation in the abdominal wall muscles (overactivation of the internal/external obliques to compensate for transversus abdominis dysfunction). (2) Dual compensation in the quadratus lumborum region (regional reorganization of psoas-quadratus lumborum synergy, interregional compensation between erector spinae and quadratus lumborum/psoas). (3) Gluteal muscle imbalance (fatty infiltration/inhibition of gluteus maximus, protective compensatory dominance of the gluteus medius on the dominant side). These synergistic dysfunctions are central to disrupting spinal stability and accelerating disc degeneration. Multi-muscle synergistic imbalance (e.g., disruption of the gluteal-lumbar-abdominal kinetic chain) not only exacerbates local mechanical abnormalities but also affects overall spine-pelvis biomechanical balance through systemic compensation and disrupts intra-abdominal pressure regulation. Molecular mechanism studies indicate that abnormal mechanical loading activates the Piezo1–Ca²⁺–F-actin–YAP signaling axis, promoting extracellular matrix degradation and inflammatory responses. Concurrently, imbalance in the nuclear factor E2-related factor 2/nuclear factor-κB pathway exacerbates oxidative stress and the inflammatory microenvironment, forming a vicious biomechanical-biological cycle. Intervention strategies targeting the restoration of synergistic core muscle function (e.g., transversus abdominis-targeted training, gluteal strengthening, and correction of abnormal activation patterns) and their combination with molecularly targeted drugs hold significant clinical potential. Future research should further investigate the mechanisms of interaction between muscle groups and compensation patterns to optimize the prevention and treatment of intervertebral disc degeneration.

Key words: intervertebral disc degeneration, lumbar core muscles, anterior abdominal wall muscles, posterior abdominal wall muscles, paraspinal muscles, hip muscles

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