Background: Low back pain (LBP) is a representative disease, and LBP is characterized by muscle dysfunction that provides stability to the lumbar spine. This causes physical functional problems such as decreased posture control ability by reducing the muscular endurance and balance of the lumbar spine. Pelvic compression using instruments, which has been used during recent stabilization exercises, focuses on the anterior superior iliac spine of the pelvis and puts pressure on the sacroiliac joint during exercise, making the pelvis more symmetrical and stable. Currently, research has been actively conducted on the use of pelvic compression belts and non-elastic pelvic belts; however, few studies have conducted research on the application effect of pelvic compression using instruments. Objects: This study aimed to investigate whether there is a difference in trunk muscular endurance and dynamic and static balance ability levels by applying pelvic stabilization through a pelvic compression device between the LBP group and the non-LBP group. Methods: Thirty-nine subjects currently enrolled in Daejeon University were divided into 20 subjects with LBP group and 19 subjects without LBP (NLBP group), and the groups were compared with and without pelvic compression. The trunk muscular endurance test was performed with 4 movements, the dynamic balance test was performed using a Y-balance test, and the static balance test was performed using a Wii balance board. Results: There was a significant difference the LBP group and the NLBP group after pelvic compression was applied to all tests (p < 0.05). In the static and dynamic balance ability test after pelvic compression was applied, there was a significant difference in the LBP group than in the NLBP group (p < 0.05). Conclusion: These results show that pelvic compression using instruments has a positive effect on both those with and without LBP and that it has a greater impact on balance ability when applied to those with LBP.

Background: Compression of the sacroiliac joint (SIJ) enables lumbo-pelvic muscles to increase pelvic stability and reduce pain. Many previous studies assessed the effects of pelvic compression belts on the stabilization of the lumbar and SIJs. However, there are a lack of studies to date on the effects of pelvic compression taping (PCT). Objectives: To investigate the effects of PCT on the muscle activity of lumbopelvic muscles during prone hip extension (PHE). Design: Pre-post test design. Methods: In total, 19 healthy male and female participants performed PHE with and without PCT. A surface electromyography system was used to record the muscle activity of multifidus, erector spinae, internal oblique abdominal, and gluteus maximus muscles, and the activities of these muscles before and after taping were compared. Results: During PHE, the activities of the multifidus and erector spinae muscles (P<.05) significantly increased after taping, while that of the internal oblique abdominal muscle significantly decreased after taping (P<.05). However, the activity of the gluteus maximums muscle did not significantly increase or decrease after taping (P>.05). Conclusion: PCT for the SIJ improves the stability of the lumbo-pelvic region, and the use of PCT with functional training would lead to positive clinical effects.

Background: Uncontrolled lumbopelvic movement leads to asymmetric symptoms and causes pain in the lumbar and pelvic regions. So many patients have uncontrolled lumbopelvic movement. Passive support devices are used for unstable lumbopelvic patient. So, we need to understand that influence of passive support on lumbopelvic stability. It is important to examine that using the pelvic belt on abdominal muscle activity, pelvic rotation and pelvic tilt. Objects: This study observed abdominal muscle activity, pelvic rotation and tilt angles were compared during active straight leg raise (ASLR) with and without pelvic compression belt. Methods: Sixteen healthy women were participated in this study. ASRL with and without pelvic compression belt was performed for 5 sec, until their leg touched the target bar that was set 20 ㎝ above the base. Surface electromyography was recorded from rectus abdominis (RA), internal oblique abdominis (IO), and external oblique abdominis (EO) bilaterally. And pelvic rotation and tilt angles were measured by motion capture system. Results: There were significantly less activities of left EO (p=.042), right EO (p=.031), left IO (p=.039), right IO (p=.019), left RA (p=.044), and right RA (p=.042) and a greater right pelvic rotation angle (p=.008) and anterior pelvic tilt angle (p<.001) during ASLR with pelvic compression belt. Conclusion: These results showed that abdominal activity was reduced while the right pelvic rotation angle and anterior pelvic tilt angle were increased during ASLR with a pelvic compression belt. In other words, although pelvic compression belt could support abdominal muscle activity, it would be difficult to control pelvic movement. So pelvic belt would not be useful for controlled ASLR.

Background: Lumbopelvic stability is highly important for exercise therapy for patients with low back pain and shoulder dysfunction. It can be attained using a pelvic compression belt. Previous studies showed that external pelvic compression (EPC) enhances form closure by reducing sacroiliac joint laxity and selectively strengthens force closure and motor control by reducing the compensatory activity of the stabilizer. In addition, when the pelvic compression belt was placed directly on the anterior superior iliac spine, the laxity of the sacroiliac cephalic joint could be significantly reduced. Objects: This study aimed to compare the effects of EPC on lumbopelvic and shoulder muscle surface electromyography (EMG) activities during push-up plus (PUP) and deadlift (DL) exercise, trunk extensor strength during DL exercise. Methods: Thirty-eight subjects (21 men and 17 women) volunteered to participate in this study. The subjects were instructed to perform PUP and DL with and without the EPC. EMG data were collect from serratus anterior (SA), pectoralis major (PM), erector spinae (ES), and multifidus (MF). Trunk extensor strength were tested in DL exercise. The data were collected during 3 repetitions of all exercise and the mean of root mean square was used for analysis. Results: The EMG activities of the SA and PM were significantly increased in PUP with pelvic compression as compared with PUP without pelvic compression (p<.05). In DL exercise, a significant improvement in trunk extensor strength was observed during DL exercise with pelvic compression (p<.05). Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that lumbopelvic stabilization reinforced with external pelvic compression may be propitious to strengthen PUP in more-active SA and PM muscles. Applying EPC can improve the trunk extensor strength during DL exercise. Our study shows that EPC was beneficial to improve the PUP and DL exercise efficiency.

Background: Improvement of lumbo-pelvic stability can reduce the compensatory action of the quadratus lumborum (QL) and selectively strengthen the gluteus medius (GM) during side-lying hip abduction (SHA). There are abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM) and abdominal bracing (AB) as active ways, and pelvic compression belt (PCB) as a passive way to increase of lumbo-pelvic stability. It is necessary to compare how these stabilization methods affect the selective strengthening of the GM. Objects: To investigate the effects of ADIM, AB, and PCB during SHA on the electromyography (EMG) activity of the GM, QL, external oblique (EO) and internal oblique (IO), and the GM/QL EMG activity ratio. Methods: A total of 20 healthy male adults participated in the study. The subjects performed three conditions in side-lying in random order: SHA with ADIM (SHA-ADIM), SHA with AB (SHA-AB), and SHA with PCB (SHA-PCB). To compare the differences among the three conditions, the EMG activities of the GM, QL, EO and IO, and GM/QL EMG activity ratio were analyzed using one-way repeated ANOVA. Results: The EMG activity of the QL was significantly higher in SHA-AB than in SHA-ADIM and SHA-PCB. The GM/QL activity ratio was significantly higher in SHA-PCB than in SHA-ADIM and SHA-AB. In addition, the figure for SHA-ADIM was significantly higher than that for SHA-AB. In the case of the EO, the figure for SHA-AB was significantly higher than corresponding values for the other two conditions. The figure for SHA-ADIM was significantly higher than that for SHA-PCB. The EMG activity of the IO was significantly higher in SHA-AH than in SHA-PCB. Conclusion: It can be suggested that wearing the PCB can more selectively strengthen the GM than to perform ADIM and AB during SHA. In addition, the ADIM can be recommended when there is a need to strengthen abdominal muscles during SHA.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the dynamic balance and activity of internal oblique muscle, multifidus muscle, gluteus maximus muscle, biceps femoris muscle during the Y balance test following the wearing of pelvic compression belt. Forty healthy adults were recruited for this test. The dynamic balance score was estimated as the following: (anterior+posteromdial+posterolateral)/(3×leg length)×100. The electromyography signals were measured through %reference voluntary contraction, which was normalized by reference voluntary contraction of Y balance test without wearing the pelvic compression belt. The paired t-test was carried out to compare the dynamic balance score and the activity of the trunk and hip extensor with and without the wearing of pelvic compression belt. The dynamic balance score of the Y balance test when wearing pelvic compression belt was significantly than when measured without wearing the pelvic compression belt (p<.05). The muscle activity of the internal oblique and the multifidus was significantly decreased when wearing pelvic compression belt (p<.05). The muscle activity of the gluteus maximus was significantly increased when wearing pelvic compression belt (p<.05). However, there was no significant difference in hamstring muscle activity, with or without wearing the belt (p>.05). In conclusion, this study shows that the wearing of pelvic compression belt affects trunk muscle and hip extensor muscle activity related to the pelvic mobility and stability and increases dynamic balance and also contributes to the stabilization of the external pelvic stabilization.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of the pelvic compression belt (PCB) on the electromyography (EMG) activities of trunk muscles during sit-to-stand (SitTS), and stand-to-sit (StandTS) tasks. Twenty healthy subjects (7 men and 13 women) were recruited for this study. The subjects performed SitTS, and StandTS tasks, with and without a PCB. Surface EMG was used to record activity of the internal oblique (IO), external oblique (EO), rectus abdominis (RA), erector spinae (ES), and multifidus (MF) of the dominant limb. EMG activity significantly decreased in the RA (without the PCB, %maximal voluntary isometric contraction [%MVIC]; with the PCB, %MVIC), EO (without the PCB, %MVIC; with the PCB, %MVIC), MF (without the PCB, %MVIC; with the PCB, %MVIC), and ES (without the PCB, %MVIC; with the PCB, %MVIC) during the SitTS task and in the IO (without the PCB, %MVIC; with the PCB, %MVIlC), RA (without the PCB, %MVIC; with the PCB, %MVIC), EO (without the PCB, %MVIC; with the PCB, %MVIC), MF (without the PCB, %MVIC; with the PCB, %MVIC), and ES (without the PCB, %MVIC; with the PCB, %MVIC) during the StandTS task when a PCB was used (p<.05). In men the EMG activity of the MF significantly decreased during the SitTS task when a PCB was used (p<.05): in women, the EMG activity of the RA, EO, MF, and ES during the SitTS task and that of the EO, MF, and ES during the SitTS task significantly decreased when a PCB was used (p<.05). In addition, the rates of change in the EMG activity of each muscle differed significantly during the SitTS and StandTS tasks before and after the use of the PCB. However, the EMG activity did not significantly differ between the male and female subjects. These findings suggest that the PCB may contribute to the modification of activation patterns of the trunk muscles during SitTS, and StandTS tasks.

The pelvic compression belt (PCB) contributes to improving sacroiliac joint stability, and it has been used as an additional therapeutic option for patients with sacroiliac joint pain (SIJP). This study aimed to investigate whether the muscle activation patterns of the supporting leg was different between asymptomatic subjects and subjects with SIJP during one-leg standing, and how it changes with the PCB. 15 subjects with SIJP and 10 asymptomatic subjects volunteered to participate in this study. Surface electromyography (EMG) data (reaction time [RT] and muscle activation) were collected from the internal oblique, lumbar multifidius, gluteus maximus and biceps femoris muscles during one-leg standing with and without the PCB. Without the PCB condition, in the SIJP group, the biceps femoris muscle showed the fastest RT among all muscles (p<.05), whereas in the asymptomatic group, the RT of the internal oblique muscle was the most rapid (p<.05). In condition without the PCB, the biceps femoris EMG amplitudes in the SIJP group were significantly greater than that in the asymptomatic group (p<.05). After the application of the PCB, the RT of the biceps femoris muscle was significantly increased only in the SIJP group (p<.05). Moreover, the biceps femoris EMG amplitudes significantly decreased and the gluteus maximus EMG amplitudes significant increased only in the SIJP group by applying the PCB (p<.05). However, this had no such effect on the gluteus maximus and biceps femoris EMG patterns in the asymptomatic group (p>.05). Thus, this study supports the applying the PCB to patients with SIJP can be used as a helpful option to modify the activation patterns of the gluteus maximus and biceps femoris muscle.