Muscle activity during aquatic and land exercises in people with and without low back pain

Stelios G. Psycharakis; Simon G.S. Coleman; Linda Linton; Konstantinos Kaliarntas; Stephanie Valentin

doi:10.1093/ptj/pzy150

Muscle activity during aquatic and land exercises in people with and without low back pain

Stelios G. Psycharakis
, Simon G.S. Coleman
, Linda Linton
, Konstantinos Kaliarntas
, Stephanie Valentin

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

16 Citations (Scopus)

85 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorder. Aquatic exercises are commonly used by physical therapists for CLBP treatment and management; however, there are no data on trunk muscle activation during aquatic exercises in people with CLBP.

OBJECTIVE

We quantified activation of trunk and gluteal muscles, exercise intensity, pain, and perceived exertion in people with and without CLBP when performing water and land exercises.

DESIGN

The study used a cross-sectional design.

METHODS

Twenty participants with nonspecific CLBP and 20 healthy participants performed 15 aquatic exercises and 15 similar land exercises. Mean and peak muscle activation were measured bilaterally from erector spinae, multifidus, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, rectus abdominis, external oblique, and internal oblique using waterproof and wireless surface electromyography. Exercise intensity (heart rate), perceived exertion (Borg scale), and, for the CLBP group, pain (visual analog scale) were recorded.

RESULTS

There were no significant between-group differences. Significant between-environment differences were found in heart rate (always higher on land), exertion (higher in the water for 3 exercises and on land for 6 exercises), and muscle activation (higher on land in 29% and in the water in 5% of comparisons). Pain levels were low, but pain was reported more than twice as frequently on land than in water (7.7% vs 3.7%, respectively).

LIMITATIONS

People with high levels of disability and CLBP classification were not included.

CONCLUSIONS

People with mild-to-moderate CLBP had similar exercise responses to healthy controls. Aquatic exercise produced sufficient muscle activation, intensity, and exertion, and should not be assumed to be less strenuous or less effective in activating trunk and pelvic muscles than exercise on land. These data can be used to inform design and prescription of rehabilitation programs and interventions.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	297-310
Number of pages	14
Journal	Physical Therapy
Volume	99
Issue number	3
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1093/ptj/pzy150
Publication status	Published - 23 Jan 2019

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

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10.1093/ptj/pzy150Licence: CC BY-NC

2018 07 16 Psycharakis MuscleFinal published version, 2.98 MBLicence: CC BY-NC

Cite this

@article{4aefaf7bd81c41eb8bb81567179b140e,

title = "Muscle activity during aquatic and land exercises in people with and without low back pain",

abstract = "BACKGROUNDChronic low back pain (CLBP) is the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorder. Aquatic exercises are commonly used by physical therapists for CLBP treatment and management; however, there are no data on trunk muscle activation during aquatic exercises in people with CLBP.OBJECTIVEWe quantified activation of trunk and gluteal muscles, exercise intensity, pain, and perceived exertion in people with and without CLBP when performing water and land exercises.DESIGNThe study used a cross-sectional design.METHODSTwenty participants with nonspecific CLBP and 20 healthy participants performed 15 aquatic exercises and 15 similar land exercises. Mean and peak muscle activation were measured bilaterally from erector spinae, multifidus, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, rectus abdominis, external oblique, and internal oblique using waterproof and wireless surface electromyography. Exercise intensity (heart rate), perceived exertion (Borg scale), and, for the CLBP group, pain (visual analog scale) were recorded.RESULTSThere were no significant between-group differences. Significant between-environment differences were found in heart rate (always higher on land), exertion (higher in the water for 3 exercises and on land for 6 exercises), and muscle activation (higher on land in 29\% and in the water in 5\% of comparisons). Pain levels were low, but pain was reported more than twice as frequently on land than in water (7.7\% vs 3.7\%, respectively).LIMITATIONSPeople with high levels of disability and CLBP classification were not included.CONCLUSIONSPeople with mild-to-moderate CLBP had similar exercise responses to healthy controls. Aquatic exercise produced sufficient muscle activation, intensity, and exertion, and should not be assumed to be less strenuous or less effective in activating trunk and pelvic muscles than exercise on land. These data can be used to inform design and prescription of rehabilitation programs and interventions.",

author = "Psycharakis, \{Stelios G.\} and Coleman, \{Simon G.S.\} and Linda Linton and Konstantinos Kaliarntas and Stephanie Valentin",

year = "2019",

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day = "23",

doi = "10.1093/ptj/pzy150",

language = "English",

volume = "99",

pages = "297--310",

journal = "Physical Therapy",

issn = "0031-9023",

publisher = "Oxford University Press",

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}

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T1 - Muscle activity during aquatic and land exercises in people with and without low back pain

AU - Psycharakis, Stelios G.

AU - Coleman, Simon G.S.

AU - Linton, Linda

AU - Kaliarntas, Konstantinos

AU - Valentin, Stephanie

PY - 2019/1/23

Y1 - 2019/1/23

N2 - BACKGROUNDChronic low back pain (CLBP) is the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorder. Aquatic exercises are commonly used by physical therapists for CLBP treatment and management; however, there are no data on trunk muscle activation during aquatic exercises in people with CLBP.OBJECTIVEWe quantified activation of trunk and gluteal muscles, exercise intensity, pain, and perceived exertion in people with and without CLBP when performing water and land exercises.DESIGNThe study used a cross-sectional design.METHODSTwenty participants with nonspecific CLBP and 20 healthy participants performed 15 aquatic exercises and 15 similar land exercises. Mean and peak muscle activation were measured bilaterally from erector spinae, multifidus, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, rectus abdominis, external oblique, and internal oblique using waterproof and wireless surface electromyography. Exercise intensity (heart rate), perceived exertion (Borg scale), and, for the CLBP group, pain (visual analog scale) were recorded.RESULTSThere were no significant between-group differences. Significant between-environment differences were found in heart rate (always higher on land), exertion (higher in the water for 3 exercises and on land for 6 exercises), and muscle activation (higher on land in 29% and in the water in 5% of comparisons). Pain levels were low, but pain was reported more than twice as frequently on land than in water (7.7% vs 3.7%, respectively).LIMITATIONSPeople with high levels of disability and CLBP classification were not included.CONCLUSIONSPeople with mild-to-moderate CLBP had similar exercise responses to healthy controls. Aquatic exercise produced sufficient muscle activation, intensity, and exertion, and should not be assumed to be less strenuous or less effective in activating trunk and pelvic muscles than exercise on land. These data can be used to inform design and prescription of rehabilitation programs and interventions.

AB - BACKGROUNDChronic low back pain (CLBP) is the most prevalent musculoskeletal disorder. Aquatic exercises are commonly used by physical therapists for CLBP treatment and management; however, there are no data on trunk muscle activation during aquatic exercises in people with CLBP.OBJECTIVEWe quantified activation of trunk and gluteal muscles, exercise intensity, pain, and perceived exertion in people with and without CLBP when performing water and land exercises.DESIGNThe study used a cross-sectional design.METHODSTwenty participants with nonspecific CLBP and 20 healthy participants performed 15 aquatic exercises and 15 similar land exercises. Mean and peak muscle activation were measured bilaterally from erector spinae, multifidus, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, rectus abdominis, external oblique, and internal oblique using waterproof and wireless surface electromyography. Exercise intensity (heart rate), perceived exertion (Borg scale), and, for the CLBP group, pain (visual analog scale) were recorded.RESULTSThere were no significant between-group differences. Significant between-environment differences were found in heart rate (always higher on land), exertion (higher in the water for 3 exercises and on land for 6 exercises), and muscle activation (higher on land in 29% and in the water in 5% of comparisons). Pain levels were low, but pain was reported more than twice as frequently on land than in water (7.7% vs 3.7%, respectively).LIMITATIONSPeople with high levels of disability and CLBP classification were not included.CONCLUSIONSPeople with mild-to-moderate CLBP had similar exercise responses to healthy controls. Aquatic exercise produced sufficient muscle activation, intensity, and exertion, and should not be assumed to be less strenuous or less effective in activating trunk and pelvic muscles than exercise on land. These data can be used to inform design and prescription of rehabilitation programs and interventions.

U2 - 10.1093/ptj/pzy150

DO - 10.1093/ptj/pzy150

M3 - Article

C2 - 30690522

SN - 0031-9023

VL - 99

SP - 297

EP - 310

JO - Physical Therapy

JF - Physical Therapy

IS - 3

ER -

Muscle activity during aquatic and land exercises in people with and without low back pain

Abstract

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