The multifidus muscles are a set of muscles that run along the back of the spine. Each pair of muscles runs from one vertebra to another vertebra above it, crossing two to four vertebrae. Multifidus plays a role in extending the spine (bending the spine backwards) and in spinal rotation. Multifidus is also believed to be an important stabilizer of the spine.
Research has shown that multifidus reacts quickly and strongly to back injury; within as little as 24 hours after an injury to the spine, the multifidus muscles in the region of the injury stop functioning correctly. It is hypothesized that pain and injury inhibit the correct functioning of the nerves that stimulate multifidus to contract. Even after the injury heals, multifidus does not resume its normal functioning without specific retraining.
While your Pilates instructor can teach you basic skills to palpate (feel with your hand) to check that transversus abdominis is engaging well, it is difficult to accurately palpate multifidus. If you need to check the functioning of multifidus, for example, if you have been struggling with chronic lower back pain a physiotherapist can assess the muscle function. Physiotherapists have the skills necessary to palpate multifidus, and have other tools and techniques available to assess muscle function.
Engagement of transversus abdominis leads to a co-contraction of multifidus.
