Normal trunk muscle strength and endurance in women and the effect of exercises and electrical stimulation. Part 1: Normal endurance and trunk muscle strength in 101 women
Nordin, M.; Kahanovitz, N.; Verderame, R.; Parnianpour, M.; Yabut, S.; Viola, K.; Greenidge, N.; Mulvihill, M.
Spine 12(2): 105-111
1987
ISSN/ISBN: 0362-2436 PMID: 3589803 Document Number: 304364
The lack of trunk muscle strength and endurance has frequently been cited as a suspected factor in the etiology of low-back pain. Several investigators have suggested that asymptomatic patients have stronger trunk muscles than patients with low-back pain. People who are physically fit appear to have a decreased incidence of low-back pain. Increased trunk muscle endurance also have been observed to decrease the incidence of low-back pain. The objective evaluation of the strength and endurance of trunk musculature may, therefore, be significant. Part 1 of this study was designed to develop a reproducible strength-endurance screening procedure and to establish normal isometric-isokinetic trunk muscle strength and endurance parameters for women. This study showed that isometric trunk flexion varied from 19-109 Nm and trunk extension from 38-168 Nm. Peak values for isokinetic trunk flexion at two speeds (30.degree. per second and 60.degree. per second) varied from 17 - 191 Nm and isokinetic trunk extension from 14-208 Nm. The average endurance time for trunk extensors tested with the Sorensen test was 196 seconds.