Effects of standing exercise tasks with a sloped surface intervention on trunk muscle activation and low-back pain intensity in women aged >70 years

Abstract

This study investigates the effects of standing exercise tasks with an incline-slope surface on the activation of latissimus dorsi (LD) and lumbar erector spinae (LES) muscles, and low-back pain (LBP) intensity. Sixteen LBP symptomatic subjects were equally and randomly divided into two groups, such as experimental and control groups based on standing interventions. The experimental group performed the exercise tasks with an incline-slope surface and the control group completed these tasks on a level surface. Electromyography and subjective LBP data were collected for five weeks to understand the intervention effects on the muscles and LBP intensity. The intervention significantly influenced trunk muscle activations and LBP intensity. The intensity of LBP was lowered in the experimental group as compared to the control group. Changes in trunk muscle activations suggested that standing exercises with an incline-slope surface intervention can positively influence the activation of trunk muscles and potentially reduce LBP intensity.