• PNF and Movement
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2021

Purpose: This study investigated the effects of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) respiratory muscle strengthening exercise on the pulmonary function, back pain, and disability level of patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods: There were 24 CLBP patients randomly divided into the experimental group (n = 12) who took part in PNF respiratory muscle strengthening exercise and the control group (n = 12) who performed a mock treatment. Both groups performed their respective interventions for 15 min five times per week for four weeks. The pulmonary function was measured using a portable spirometer. The back pain of the participants was assessed using a visual analogue scale. The Oswestry disability index was conducted to measure disability level. A paired t-test was performed to compare within-group changes before and after the PNF respiratory muscle strengthening exercise. Differences between the experimental and the control groups were analyzed using an independent t-test. For all tests, the level of statistical significance was α = 0.05. Results: The within-group change in pulmonary function was significantly different in the experimental group (p < 0.05), and the levels of back pain and disability were significantly different between the groups (p < 0.05). There was also a significant between-group difference in pulmonary function, back pain, and disability level after intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results suggest that PNF respiratory muscle strengthening exercise enhances pulmonary function and reduces levels of back pain and disability in patients with CLBP.

• Journal of Wellbeing Management and Applied Psychology
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.31-35
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• 2022

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the effects of change in the unstable support surface location during bridge exercise on the muscle activity of erector spinae and gluteus maximus. Research design, data and methodology: 12 healthy participants aged 23.32 ±1.02 were measured muscle activities of erector spinae and gluteus maximus during bridge exercise and compared between the exercise conditions; unstable support surface located on upper back and feet during bridge exercise. Paired t-test was performed to identify whether there was a significant difference in the muscle activities between the exercise conditions. Results: As a result, even though higher levels of the averaged muscle activities of both erector spinae and gluteus maximus during exercise in unstable support surface located on feet than upper back were observed, no significant differences were found. Conclusions: The change of unstable support surface location during bridge exercise for low back pain rehabilitation would be more appropriate to be used to increase levels of tension of muscle activities and train fine motor control rather than to strengthening muscle strength.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.329-334
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• 2022

Objective: Low back pain (LBP) is a symptom that accounts for a large proportion of musculoskeletal pain. Among them, non-specific LBP (NSLBP) means that the pathological cause is unknown, and belongs to the most common LBP. Studies on the mechanism of muscle control in LBP are insufficient, and quantitative studies are needed. Design: Observational cross-sectional study design Methods: A Thirty participants with NSLBP symptoms were enrolled, and their pressure pain thresholds (PPT) and muscle and fat thickness were measured. Participants measured the paraspinal muscles (PM) of the thoracic and lumbar spine and medial hamstring (semitendinosus) on the dominant and non-dominant sides in the prone position. Results: Among the variables that were significant in the correlation analysis, PM of the thoracic and lumbar spine showed a significant relationship in the PPT ([thoracic spine PM]=1.141+0.912 [lumbar spine PM]). Also, there was a significant relationship between the lumbar spine PM in the PPT and the thoracic spine PM in the muscle thickness ([lumbar spine PM of PPT]=4.057+0.117 [thoracic spine PM of muscle thickness]) Conclusions: Although there was no muscle imbalance according to the dominant and non-dominant side, there is a correlation between the pressure pain threshold and the muscle thickness between the paraspinal muscles of the thoracic spine and the lumbar spine.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.63-71
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• 2015

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study to investigate the effects of exercise on lumbar stabilization in muscle activity and isokinetic muscle strength of female with chronic low back pain. METHODS: The candidates was chose to twenty women in their 30s and 40s complaining back pain for over 12 weeks and consist of 10 people for lumbar stabilization and general physical therapy group(PL group), another 10 people for general physical therapy group(GP group). Lumbar stabilization exercise was conducted for 8 weeks and was comprised of 60 minutes for two times a week. In order to examine the effects of lumbar stabilization, results in the present study were analyzed maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) using electromyogram to measure muscle activity and isokinetic performance including peak torque and average power at the pre to post. RESULTS: The following are results in this study. The MVIC and isokinetic muscle strength were gradually increased in all group. As the result of the test of the MVIC and isokinetic muscle strength, the difference of lumbar stabilization and general physical therapy group is statistically more significant than that of general physical therapy group. CONCLUSION: In the present study, results indicate that lumbar stabilization helps to improve the muscle activity and isokinetic muscle strength.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.76-88
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• 2001

Back extension exercises have been used for rehabilitation of the injured low back, prevention of injury, and fitness training programs. However, excessive loading on low back can exacerbate existing structural weakness. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activity of low back muscles during back extension exercises. Twenty healthy male subject s were evaluated. Electromyographic (EMG) activities of low back muscles at L1 and L5 level were recorded during seven different back extension exercises and two reference tasks by surface EMG and saved for data analysis. Reference tasks of lifting 20% and 40% of their body weight were included for comparison. The result were as follows: 1) Single-arm extension and single-leg extension exercises on quadruped position appeared to constitute a low-risk exercise for initial extensor strengthening. 2) When arm extension was combined with contralateral leg extension on quadruped position, EMG activities of low back muscles were increased. 3) EMG activity of low back muscles was highest during the trunk extension exercises on prone position. 4) EMG activities of low back muscles during arm and leg extension exercises on quadruped position were less than those of reference task of lifting 40% of their body weight. These result s have important implications for progressive back extensor muscle strengthening exercises in patients with back pain.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.419-424
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of lumbar stabilization exercise on the abdominal muscle-back muscle ratio in white-collar workers. Methods: Forty white-collar workers without any pain who worked at an information technology (IT) company located in the Gyeonggi province were included in this study. Of these, 20 subjects were randomly allocated to the lumbar stabilization exercise group, whereas the remaining 20 were randomly allocated to the control group. The lumbar stabilization exercise group performed a 40-minute-long exercise once a week for 8 weeks. The strength of the abdominal and back muscles was measured using the CENTAUR 3-D Spatial Rotation Device (BFMC, Germany). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 18.0 for Windows. The Paired t-test was performed to compare the values measured before and after exercise within each group. The independent sample t-test was performed to analyze the differences between the 2 groups. The statistical significance for all the analyses was set at .05. Results: The strength of the abdominal muscles after the exercise significantly differed between the lumbar stabilization exercise group and the control group (p<0.05). However, the increase in the abdominal muscle-back muscle ratio was significant in only the lumbar stabilization exercise group (p<0.05), but not in the control group (p>0.05). Conclusion: The improvement of the abdominal muscle-back muscle ratio through lumbar stabilization exercise may have positive effects on lumbar stabilization. Moreover, lumbar stabilization exercise is considered beneficial for the prevention of back pain and musculoskeletal diseases.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.5
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• pp.117-125
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• 2008

Objectives : In these days Low back pain is most common, and the weakness of muscle strength is important factor. The aim of this study is to prove the influence of the exercise therapy on pain control and muscle strength in acute low back pain patient. Methods : Subjects of this research were 30 inpatients with acute low back pain from 2008. 3. 20 to 2008. 6. 20. 15 patients in each, 2 groups; Non exercise therapy, exercise therapy were divided and the conclusions for treatment are as follows. Results : 1. Regarding alleviation of pain by VAS, both non exercise therapy Group I and exercise therapy Group II showed significant decrease of VAS. 2. Muscle strengthening by extension and flexion peak torque, the exercise therapy Group II showed higher rate of improvement than the non exercise therapy Group I in extension peak torque. 3. Muscle strengthening by extension and flexion peak torque ratio, the exercise therapy Group II showed higher rate of improvement and distribution approach to normal ratio than the non exercise therapy Group I. Conclusions : Exercise therapy was effective in muscle strengthening of acute low back pain.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.51-58
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• 2018

Backdround: Using RUSI (Rehabilitation Ultra Sound Imiging) method, which showed high reliability in soft tissue measurements, we compared the muscle relax and contraction, sex, and physical characteristics of the activity of the multifidus muscle in patients with chronic low back pain and normal subjects. Methods: In this study, 16 patients (male: 8, female: 8) with chronic low back pain and 16 healthy adult (male: 8, female: 8) were participated. Subjects lied prone posture on the table with elbow flexed $90^{\circ}$ and shoulder abducted $120^{\circ}$ (starting position). Test was applied two types that muscle relax position and muscle contraction position. Muscle relax position is equal to starting position and muscle contraction position is that upper extremity lift up about 5cm from the table. We measured the thickness of the multifidus muscle in each position by ultrasound. Results: There was a statistically significant difference between the two groups in deviation of Both Side Difference of Activated resting-Arm Lifting Ratio according to posture change between the chronic low back pain patient group and the normal group. Conclusion: The result of this study support previous study showing that there is an imbalance in the activity of multifidus in patients with chronic low back pain.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.79-86
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• 2022

Background: Bird dog exercise (BDE) is one of the lumbar stabilization exercises that rehabilitate low back pain by co-contraction of the local and global muscles. Previous studies have reported the effect of various type of BDEs (for example, practicing the exercises on various surfaces and changing the limb movement) for muscle co-contraction. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the effect of knee joint flexion position of the raised lower limb on abdominal and back muscle activity during BDE in patients with chronic low back pain (CLBP). Methods: Thirteen males participated in this study (age: 32.54 ± 4.48 years, height: 177.38 ± 7.17 cm). Surface electromyographic (SEMG) data of the internal abdominal oblique (IO), external abdominal oblique (EO), lumbar multifidus (MF), and thoracic part of the iliocostalis lumborum (ICLT) were collected in two knee joint flexion positions (90° flexion versus 0° flexion) during BDE. The SEMG data were expressed as a percentage of root mean square mean values obtained in the maximal voluntary isometric contraction. Results: Greater muscle activity of the IO (p = 0.001), MF (p = 0.009), and ICLT (p = 0.021) of the raised lower limb side and the EO (p = 0.001) and MF (p = 0.009) of the contralateral side were demonstrated in the knee joint flexion position compared to the knee joint extension position. Greater local/global activity ratios of the abdominal muscle (i.e., IO and EO) of the raised lower limb (p = 0.002) and the back muscle (i.e., MF and ICLT) of the contralateral side (p = 0.028) were also noted in the knee joint flexion position. Conclusion: BDE with a knee joint flexion position might be recommended as an alternative lumbar stabilization exercise to enhance muscle activity in both the raised lower limb and the contralateral sides of the trunk for individuals with CLBP.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.99-111
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• 2023

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of pelvic compression methods on the muscle activities of the trunk muscles during plank exercises in individuals with and without low back pain. METHODS: Individuals who experienced back pain for three or more days within the last six months (low back pain group, LBPG; n = 15) and those who did not (non-experienced low back pain group, NLBPG; n = 15) were instructed to perform plank exercise without pelvic compression or while wearing a ReaLine or Com-pressor belt. The electromyography (EMG) data was measured during each session of exercise. Surface EMG signals were collected for the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), erector spinae (ES), and gluteus maximus (GM) muscles. The data were collected during three 5-s exercises with a 1-min rest period between the three sets. RESULTS: During the plank exercise, the muscle activity of the RA in the LBPG was significantly higher than that in the NLBPG (p < .05), and greater muscle activity was observed in the LBPG even when two pelvic compression methods were applied (p < .05). The muscle activity of RA was decreased significantly during pelvic compression according to the pelvic compression methods in both groups (p < .05). No significant interaction was observed between the groups or the pelvic compression methods for the RA, EO, ES, or GM muscle activities during plank exercises. CONCLUSION: Both pelvic compression methods reduced the RA muscle activity during plank exercises in individuals who had not experienced back pain within the last six months.