• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1695-1699
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• 2019

Background : Although plank exercises is reported to the changes in muscle activity of the deep muscles and superficial muscles among the core muscles. However, no study has examined the effects of forearm plank exercise on tone and stiffness in the superficial back line muscle. Objective: To compare the effects of sling forearm plank exercises and mat forearm plank exercises on the superficial back line muscle tone and stiffness. Design: Randomized controlled clinical trial (single blind) Methods: The subjects were randomized to sling forearm plank exercise group (N = 8) or mat forearm plank exercise group (N = 8). The measurements were taken for each research group following exercises: the muscle tone and stiffness of upper lumbar muscles, lower lumbar muscles, long head of biceps femoris, and medial part of gastrocnemius among the superficial back line muscles. Results: Sling forearm plank exercise group Indicated statistically significant increases in stiffness of medial part of gastrocnemius (p<.05). However, mat forearm plank exercise group reported no statistically significant in muscle tone and stiffness of all measured muscles. No significant differences in measured variables were found between the groups. Conclusions: These results suggest that the forearm plank exercise performed with an unstable surface in the defined sling can increase the stiffness of calf muscle, but it is unlikely to achieve increases in muscle tone and stiffness of the overall superficial back line muscles.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.1023-1032
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• 2001

The muscles relating to movement of painful low back was analyzed kinematically, by method of applying elastic tapes and putting non-elastic tapes on muscles involving those movements which cause pain and limitation of range of motion (ROM) in low back and trunk. Taping therapy which is effective for improvement of painful low back and which is supposed to facilitate the total and continual movement based on the postural reflexes will be presented in this paper. Fifty cases who had painful low back were investigated. Patients with painful low back were at first asked pain point and direction of painful movement, and then tested the muscles which are cause of those pain and limited motion. Before attaching tape, all subjects were divided into two groups, flexor pattern and extensor pattern, according to direction of increasing pain. Elastic tapes were applied from origin to insertion of objective muscles and non-elastic tapes were put on effective points of the muscles which were associated with respect to pain and limited ROM. As a result of this study, all subjects with low back pain significantly improved in pain and ROM at the low back. The longest treatment duration group for the low back pain cases was herniated lumbar disc(10.4 days) group. Low back pain have been treated by so many ways. muscles factor should be emphasized to be distinguish1y important to reduce low back pain. The muscles relating to make directly painful motion in low back and trunk should be confirmed by means of taping and painful motion should be analyzed by point of view of postural reflexes.

• 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.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2024

Background: Using wearable passive back-support exoskeletons in workplace has attracted attention as devices that support the posture of workers, enhance their physical capabilities, and reduce physical risk factors. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the effect of a wearable passive back-support exoskeleton on the activity of the erector spinae muscles during lifting tasks at various heights. Methods: Twenty healthy adult males were selected as subjects. Electromyography (EMG) was used to assess the activity of the erector spinae muscles while performing lifting tasks at three distinct heights (30, 40, and 50 cm), with and without the application of the Wearable Passive Back Support Exoskeleton. EMG data were gathered before and after the application of the orthosis. Results: The use of the Wearable Passive Back Support Exoskeleton resulted in a significant decrease in muscle activity when lifting a 10 kg object from heights of 30 and 40 cm (p < 0.05). Additionally, there was a significant reduction in muscle activity when lifting from a height of 50 cm compared with that at lower heights (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The use of a wearable passive back-support exoskeleton led to a decrease in the activity of the erector spinae muscles during lifting tasks, irrespective of the object's height. Our results suggest that the orthosis we tested may help decrease risk of lower back injuries during lifting.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.381-387
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• 2017

Purpose: Although some studies indicate that the Sorensen test may not be used to examine back muscles such as the erector spinae, alternatives to the back-extension test are rarely suggested. Therefore, the purpose of the present study was to investigate an effective way to stimulate the erector spinae muscles by adding a component of trunk rotation and lateral bending to general back extensions. Methods: A total of 18 healthy, physically active participants performed simple trunk extension, extension with trunk rotation, and extension with lateral bending. Surface electromyography responses of the latissimus dorsi, thoracic, and lumbar levels of the erector spinae; the gluteus maximus; and the biceps femoris muscles were investigated during these 3 conditions of modified back extension tests. Results: The simple trunk extension exercise caused significant increases in activity of the gluteus maximus and biceps femoris muscles as compared to the extension with rotation and lateral bending exercises. The extension with trunk rotation exercise showed significantly greater activation in the thoracic and lumbar levels of the erector spinae and in the latissimus dorsi as compared to the other exercises. The index measuring subjective difficulty was significantly lower in the simple trunk extension exercise as compared to the extension with trunk rotation and extension with lateral bending exercises. Conclusion: The present study suggests that extension with trunk rotation has the advantage of stimulating the para-spinal muscles, while simple trunk extension may not be adequate to selectively simulate the para-spinal muscles but may be appropriate for examining global trunk extensors.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1-10
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• 2007

Purpose: Leg-crossing sitting is very common for men and woman. No solid evidence exists for either a beneficial or a detrimental effect of this posture. This study investigated the change of activities of trunk muscles between the normal group and the low back pain group during various leg-crossing positions. Methods: The subjects were consisted of 10 subjects who don't have low back pain and 10 subjects who have low back pain. In this study, we used electromyography(EMG) to evaluate the activities of both the trunk muscles (rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, and multifidus) during various leg-crossing positions (up-right, leg-crossing, tailor-crossing, and ankle-crossing). We analyzed the data by using repeated one way ANOVA. Results: In normal group, there were increased in EMG activities of trunk muscles, but no significant differences during leg-crossing positions. In back pain group, there were increased in EMG activities of right external oblique, left. internal oblique, and both multifidus muscles in leg-crossing and tailor-crossing position, but no significant differences during leg-crossing positions. There was no significant difference of muscle activity of trunk muscles between the back pain group and the normal group. Conclusion: We suggest that low back pain people who have weak muscles of rectus abdominis, external and internal oblique are often experienced in leg-crossing posture than normal. To compensate this unstability of trunk, leg-crossing posture is substituted passive structure for activities of active muscle.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.39-47
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• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to characterize changes in back muscles in patients with chronic back pain. Accordingly, we studied 154 patients with chronic low back pain with regard to area, aspect and triggering position of the pain. We also determined muscle atrophy in painful areas. Methods: Subjects were questioned about pain and a pain provoking test was done. On Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), we measured cross sections of the multifidus, erector spinae, iliopsoas and quadratus lumborum muscles at each spinal level. Results: Muscles in painful regions (multifidus and erector spinae muscles) decreased in area significantly more than nonpainful regions, and showed a significant difference (p<0.05) at levels L3, L4, and L5. Painful regions of the iliopsoas and quadratus lumborum did not change significantly more than non-painful regionsexcept at L5 (p<0.05). The group that had unilateral low back pain showed a significant decrease in cross section compared to the group that had central or bilateral pain (p<0.05). Conclusion: Chronic low back pain causes variable decreases in cross-sectional areas of some but not all back muscles, and at some but not all spinal levels.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Safety
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.117-120
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• 2001

Low back pain has been known as the most frequent musuculoskeletal disorders in modern industrial society and cost by low back pain is increasing mon and more. The asymmetric lifting has been identified as a major risk factor of low back pain. In this study, the muscle activity and muscle exertion level during asymmetric load handling (without trunk flexion) was estimated. The results of normalized MVC measurement were decreased about 16％, 24％, 34％ respectively as the asymmetric angle was $30^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, $90^{\circ}$. From the results of EMG measurement contralateral muscles were more active than ipsilateral muscles. RMSEMG values of right erector spinae muscles were decreased as the work posture went to 90$^{\circ}$ and those of left erector spinae muscles were increased until the asymmetric angle was 40$^{\circ}$ but decreased continually over 40$^{\circ}$. And for seven of subjects, activities of left and right latissimus dorsi muscles were maintained constantly, while for remainer, those were irregular.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.233-243
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• 2010

Purpose : This study aimed to examine the effects of sling exercise therapy on the relief of low back pain and the cross-sectional area change of lumbar muscles by CT analysis for chronic low back pain patients. Methods : Forty-one patients with diagnosis of chronic low back pain was divided sling exercise therapy group(SEG) 19 subjects and conservative physical therapy group(CPG) 22 subjects. we randomized and treated them(subjects) for 12 weeks. As using visual analogue scale(VAS), we evaluated recovery accuracy of pain, and for investigating cross-section area change of lumbar muscles for before and after treatment we used computed tomography(CT). Results : This study were summarized as follows : 1) As treatment period, in each compared testing on VAS of SEG and CPG, the both group was significantly different(p<.05). 2) Compared testing on VAS of between-subject groups(SEG and CPG) were not significantly different(p>.05). 3) At SEG of before and after treatment, in compared testing on cross-section area size of lumbar muscles, All muscles of psoas major, quadratus lumborum, erector spinae and multifidus were significantly different(p<.05). At CPG, psoas major was significantly different(p<.05). But other muscles were not significantly different(p>.05). Conclusion : From this result, both sling exercise therapy and the conservative physical therapy are effect on decrease of pain for chronic low back pain patients. but Increasing of the cross-section area being proportioned with muscular strengthening of low back muscle is noticeable difference in SEG. Therefore, sling exercise therapy have affect both decreasing of pain for chronic low back pain patients and lumbar muscles strengthening.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.29-37
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to classify patients with chronic back pain according to the degree of their back pain, and to compare the pain dysfunction index with the qualitative changes in abdominal muscles. Therefore, we aimed to provide a basis for the treatment intervention method for patients with back pain. Methods: Twenty patients with chronic back pain were purposive sample to a group of 10 patients with a back pain index of 60 % or more and a group with less than 60 % of back pain, and the subjects who voluntarily participated in the study After receiving the letter, I conducted the research the dysfunction of back pain was measured by the Korean version of the Oswestry Disability Index (KODI), and the ultrasonic wave (Ultrasound MyLabOne, ESAOTE, Italy) And the white area index, and the abdominal muscle movement was used as the exercise instrument POWER breathe K5 (Hab direct, UK), which strengthens the respiratory muscles through threshold-muscle traction. Result: In this study, patients with chronic back pain were subjected to breathing exercises, which led to the decrease in back pain dysfunction. The ultrasonographic analysis of abdominal muscles revealed that both the white area index and muscle image density in the skeletal muscle and in the outer muscle of the abdomen gradually decreased over time. Conclusion: It is thought that introducing back pain patients to abdominal muscle reinforcement training is effective in improving the functions of the patients' muscles, thus increasing their quality of life.