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The multifidus is one of the main long-back muscles, it sandwiches the spine. ( muscle marked by no. 1)

With bad habits and a sedentary life, this muscle undergoes fatty degeneration ( muscle fibers get replaced with fatty tissue). This in turn limits muscle function and causes back pain.

MRI is the best way to diagnose this change in the muscle. (The image to the Lt. shows muscle is marked by the green line and no. 1; image to the Rt. shows the fatty change in the muscle outlined by a red line.)

Moreover, some studies showed that dysfunction of the Multifidus is directly related to lumbar disc prolapses between the lumbar 3,4, and 5 vertebrae. This in turn might cause back and leg pains.

Here are some exercises that you can do at home and will help improve this muscle condition.