본 연구의 목적은 해부학적 근거로 제작한 5가지의 EMS 요추 복압 벨트가 요추 안정화에 미치는 영향을 연구하는 것이다. 본 연구는 요방형근, 척추세움근, 내복사근, 외복사근, 대요근으로 총 5가지의 코어 근육을 선정하여 이에 맞는 근육 모양과 통증 유발점인 압통점을 고려해 전도성 원단으로 패턴을 설계하여 복압 벨트에 결합했다. 총 4가지 동작으로 실험을 진행하여 각각 다른 EMS복압 벨트가 요추 안정화에 미치는 영향을 알아보았다. 건강한 신체의 20대 남성 5명을 대상으로 진행하였고 선정 조건은 최근 3개월 동안 요통 과거력이 없고 사전 검사를 통해 제한되는 동작이 없고, 체간의 근력이 정상등급에 속한 대상이다. 실험 동작의 순서는 하지직거상 검사, 좌전굴, 체전굴, 배근력으로 다음 동작에 제한되지 않게 선정하였다. 동작 간의 휴식은 2분으로 진행하였고, EMS복압 벨트를 착용 후 실험을 진행할 때는 혈류량 증가와 근 활성화를 위해 전기자극을 10분씩 적용하고 진행하였다. 실험 결과의 통계는 비모수 검정으로 윌콕슨 검정과 프리드만 검정을 실시함으로 구체적인 차이를 분석하였다. 본 연구의 결과 5가지의 패턴 중 5,4,3,1,2 순으로 Type별 순위 결과를 확인할 수 있었으며 각 근육의 움직임과 연관성이 있는 실험 동작에 조금 더 유의미한 결과를 확인할 수 있었다. 본 연구의 결론은 해부학적 근거로 제작된 패턴으로 인해 각 근육에 각기 다른 모양으로 전기자극을 전달하였을 때 구분되는 효과를 확인할 수 있었으며 일반인 대상으로 일상생활이나 트레이닝에 있어 요추 안정화를 향상할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

This study aimed to investigate the effect of the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) and abdominal expansion maneuver (AEM) on trunk stabilization, as well as trunk muscle activities and differences in quadruple visual analogue scale, Korean Oswestry Disability Index, and Fear Avoidance Beliefs Questionnaire scores, in patients with chronic low back pain and lumbar spine instability. To increase intra-abdominal pressure during the trunk stabilization exercise, the technique of pushing the abdomen out using diaphragmatic abdominal breathing suggested by Pavel Koral was used, which we termed the AEM. Fifty patients who tested positive on more than three of the five lumbar spine instability tests were separated from 138 patients with chronic low back pain of these patients, 16 were placed in the control group (trunk stabilization exercise), 17 were placed in the ADIM group (trunk stabilization exercise with ADIM), and 17 were placed in the AEM group (trunk stabilization exercise with AEM). Each group participated in the study for 30 minutes three times weekly for 4 weeks. Surface electromyography was used to measure the trunk muscle activities during the kneeling forward and supine bridging positions, and one-way repeated analysis of variance was used to determine the statistical significance of the trunk muscle activities in the rectus abdominis, internal oblique (IO), erector spinae, and multifidus (MF) muscles. The ADIM and AEM groups showed relatively larger improvements in psychosocial and functional disability level than control group. There were significant changes among the three groups, those from the measured values of the AEM group was significantly higher than the other two groups in changes in IO and MF trunk muscle activities (p＜05). This finding demonstrates that trunk stabilization exercises with AEM is more effective than ADIM for increasing trunk deep muscle activity of chronic low back pain patients with lumbar spine instability.

The lumbar multifidus muscle, which can be separated into deep fascicles (DM) and superficial fascicles (SM), is important for lumbar segmental stability. However, no previous studies have investigated the effect of lumbar stabilization exercises on the thickness of DM and SM. Thus, the purpose of this study was to assess DM thickness after three different lumbar segmental stabilization exercises. In total, 30 healthy male participants were recruited and randomly assigned to one of three exercise groups: hollowing in the quadruped position (H-Quad), contralateral arm and leg lift (CALL), and bilateral arm and leg lift (BALL). Each lumbar segmental stabilization exercise was conducted over 4 weeks. Ultrasonography was used to compare the DM and SM thickness before and after the 4 weeks of exercise. A mixed-model analysis of variance using Scheffe's post-hoc test was used for statistical analysis. The results showed a significant effect for the measurement time (before vs. after 4 weeks of exercise) in the DM (F=31.26, p<.05) and SM (F=4.56, p<.05). At the end of the 4 weeks, the DM thickness had increased significantly in the H-Quad exercise group, and the SM thickness had increased significantly in the CALL and BALL exercise groups. Also in the BALL exercise group, the SM thickness was greater compared with that in the H-Quad exercise group. These findings suggest that the thickness of the DM and SM were increased by different types of lumbar segmental stability exercise after 4 weeks.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of contralateral hip adduction (CHA) on thickness of lumbar stabilizers during hip abduction in side-lying. Twenty healthy subjects without back pain were recruited for this study. The thickness of transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO) and quadratus lumborum (QL) were measured by ultrasonography. Pelvic lateral tilting motion was measured using a three-dimensional motion analysis system. Measurements were performed at rest position (RP), preferred hip abduction (PHA) and abduction with contralateral hip adduction (CHA) in side-lying at the end of expiration. During the measurements, subjects were asked to maintain steady trunk alignment without hand support. Thickness of TrA and IO was significantly greater in CHA than in PHA and RP conditions. There was no significant difference in thickness of TrA and IO between PHA and RP conditions. Medio-lateral (M-L) thickness of QL was not significant between PHA and CHA conditions. Anterio-posterior (A-P) thickness of QL in PHA and CHA significantly decreased compared to RP condition. Angle of pelvic lateral tilting was significantly decreased in CHA compared to PHA condition. In conclusion, CHA can be recommended for increasing trunk stability without compensatory pelvic motion during hip abduction exercise in side-lying.