Effect of Core Stabilizing Training on Young Individuals Presenting Different Stages of Degenerative Disc Disease—Preliminary Report

Abstract

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of stabilizing training for the deep core muscles of the lumbar spine in subjects with degenerative disc disease. This study was conducted on 38 participants. The participants were divided into two groups: the extrusion group (EXT, n = 17) and the protrusion group (PRO, n = 21). All the subjects underwent a four-week-long core stability exercise-based treatment (five sessions/week). Clinical outcome measures were assessed pre-intervention (pre), post-intervention (post) and four weeks after the intervention (follow-up). The primary outcome measures were the spinal range of motion (ROM; Spinal Mouse® device) and the Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). In the PRO group, the ROM decreased from 88.52° pre-intervention to 83.33° post-intervention and to 82.82° at follow-up (p = 0.01), while the ODI decreased from 16.14 points pre-intervention to 6.57 points post-intervention, with 9.42 points at follow-up (p < 0.01). In the EXT group, the ROM decreased from 81.00° pre-intervention to 77.05° post-intervention, then increased to 77.94° at follow-up (p = 0.03), while the ODI decreased from 22.58 points pre-intervention to 15.41 points post-intervention and to 14.70 points at follow-up (p < 0.001). Although the stabilizing exercise sessions improved the clinical outcomes in each group, we cannot make conclusions as to whether the type of intervertebral disc damage significantly affects the results of stabilizing exercise-based treatment.

Gait analysis, trunk movements, and electromyographic patterns after minimally invasive spine surgery for lumbar instability: An observational prospective study

“… 60 , 49 Therefore, rehabilitation should be focused on recovering trunk control and range of motion, eventually improving both gait and balance. 61 , 62 , 63 Notably, improvements in trunk rotation also correlated with improvement in the left iliocostalis/left L3-L4 cross-correlation curves. The higher activity of the erector spinae iliocostalis with restriction in trunk motion has been proposed as a pain-response activity in patients suffering from chronic low back pain.…”

Effectiveness of selected Motor Control Retraining Exercises on Chronic Low Back Pain in Male Military Personnel with Lumbar Disc Herniation. A Randomized Controlled Trial

“…On the other hand, Kuligowski et al showed that core exercises decreased the range of motion in patients with discopathy. They concluded that this reduction in range of motion might be due to differences in the severity of discopathy and the type and duration of exercise (42).…”

Is the novel suspension exercises superior to core stability exercises on some EMG coordinates, pain and range of motion of patients with disk herniation?

“…Some studies reported similar result in people with chronic LBP [ 14 , 27 ]. On the other hand, in the study of Kuligowski et al (2021), core stability exercises reduced lumbar ROM in people with disk herniationm [ 26 ]. Difference in severity of disk herniation of the subjects and period of core stability exercises used in this study (four weeks) could be the reasons why this research is different from our research.…”

“…Recent research supports the use of suspensions in muscle activation [ 22 – 24 ], but there are conflicting opinions in comparison between suspension and core stability exercises [ 23 , 25 ]. The effect of these exercises on ROM is also mentioned differently [ 14 , 26 , 27 ]. Among the wide variety of suspension exercises, the most appropriate posture for people with chronic LBP has not been determined yet.…”