The Relation Between Sit-up Exercises and the Occurrence of Low Back Pain
【Supercategory：7. DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Subcategory：7.3 Vol.3】
Twenty-nine cases of low back pain disorders due to repeated sit-up exercises with the knee extended and ankles supported were studied. There were 21 males and 8 females with an average of 21.2 years. The diagnoses consisted of lumbosacral sprain (22 cases), lumbar disc lesion (4 cases), spondylolysis (2 cases), spondylosis deformans (1 case). The clinical symptoms improved in a relatively short term by conservative treatments.
Assosiated with the clinical study, electromyographical studies were performed on the four types of sit-up exercises in the six subjects. It was shown that the rectus abdominis contracts during the early phase of trunk flexion and the later phase of trunk extension and the rectus femoris contracts during the middle phase of sit-up exercises. Integrated electrical activities of the rectus abdominis tended to be higher with the ankles unsupported and that of the rectus femoris tended to be higher with the knees extended than with the knees flexed, and higher with the ankles supported than with the ankles unsupported.
Sit-up exercises with the knees extended and ankles supported are inappropriate and injurious as an abdominal strengthening exercises. It is advised, therefore, that partial sit-up exercises with the knees flexed and the ankles unsupported are more effective.
DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.3/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE
Assosiated with the clinical study, electromyographical studies were performed on the four types of sit-up exercises in the six subjects. It was shown that the rectus abdominis contracts during the early phase of trunk flexion and the later phase of trunk extension and the rectus femoris contracts during the middle phase of sit-up exercises. Integrated electrical activities of the rectus abdominis tended to be higher with the ankles unsupported and that of the rectus femoris tended to be higher with the knees extended than with the knees flexed, and higher with the ankles supported than with the ankles unsupported.
Sit-up exercises with the knees extended and ankles supported are inappropriate and injurious as an abdominal strengthening exercises. It is advised, therefore, that partial sit-up exercises with the knees flexed and the ankles unsupported are more effective.
DESCENTE SPORTS SCIENCE Vol.3/THE DESCENTE AND ISHIMOTO MEMORIAL FOUNDATION FOR THE PROMOTION SPORTS SCIENCE
| Researcher | Yoshiteru Mutoh, M.D.*1, Yoshio Nakamura, PhD.*1, Mitsumasa Miyashita, PhD.*1, Takemi Mori, M.D.*2 |
|---|---|
| University or institution | *1 The Laboratory for Exercise Physiology and Biomechanics, Faculty of Education, University of Tokyo, *2 The Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Tokyo Kosei-Nenkin Hospital |
Keywords
back pain, sit-up exercises, rectus abdominis, trunk flexion, partial sit-up exercises