Research article summary (published 30 Jul 2004):

Back muscle fatigue during intermittent prone back extension exercise.

Full Abstract

The purpose of this study was to estimate the level of muscular activation and muscle fatigue of the low back muscles during the performance of an intermittent prone back extension (PBE) exercise. Forty-one healthy students (24 males and 17 females) lying prone on a bench with the legs fixed performed two maximal voluntary contractions (MVC) in extension, a maximum of 100 repetitions of an intermittent PBE exercise immediately followed by a final MVC in extension. In addition, 12 subjects (11 males and one female) repeated the PBE exercise but with the addition of a 45-N weight on the back. The PBE exercise consisted of a task broken into four 1-s segments, while lying prone on a bench (10 degrees below horizontal): (1) raising the trunk to a horizontal position; (2) holding the trunk in the static phase (10 degrees above horizontal); (3) returning to the original position; and (4) resting on the bench. Electromyography (EMG) was used to measure the level of muscle activity (erector spinae (ES), gluteus maximus (GM), hamstrings (HA)) relative to the maximum voluntary EMG (MVE). RESULTS: Most of the subjects (34 out of 41) completed the 100 repetitions without excessive muscle fatigue according to the post-exercise MVC values. The intermittent PBE increased fatigue in the lumbar and hip extensor muscles in terms of: (1) a decrease in the MVC; (2) an increase in the level of muscle activation; and (3) a decline of the median frequency (MF). There was no gender difference in all EMG measurements. The level of muscle activation in the hip extensors (GM and HA) was associated with task failure (number of repetitions <100) for some subjects and the addition of a weight of 45 N had more impact on HA than ES. In conclusion, the PBE exercise as performed in the present study (including rest intervals), although not very strenuous for our healthy subjects, seems an adequate exercise to measure and train the aerobic capacity of the back muscles. However, to train specifically the back muscles, the exercise must be adjusted to avoid task failure due to possible hip extensor fatigue.

Author information

Author/s: Plamondon, A (A); Trimble, K (K); Larivière, C (C); Desjardins, P (P);

Affiliation: Institut de recherche Robert-Sauvé en santé et en sécurité du travail (IRSST), Montréal, Québec, Canada. plamondon.andre(-atsign-)irsst.qc.ca

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: Scandinavian journal of medicine & science in sports (Scand J Med Sci Sports), published in Denmark. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2004-Aug; vol 14 (issue 4) : pp 221-30

Dates: Created 2004/07/21; Completed 2005/01/25; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 15265144, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article
(including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult Back - physiopathology Electromyography Exercise - physiology Female Humans

Male Muscle Fatigue - physiology Muscle, Skeletal - physiopathology Prone Position - physiology Sex Factors Weight-Bearing - physiology

Related articles

These are the highest related articles currently in the database:

• Surface EMG activity of the back musculature during axial spinal unloading using an LTX 3000 Lumbar Rehabilitation System. 29 Sep 2001
• The role of measured resistance exercises in adolescent scoliosis. 30 Jan 2003
• Reliability of EMG spectral parameters in repeated measurements of back muscle fatigue. 30 Jul 1999
• Activation of flexor and extensor trunk muscles in hemiparesis. 29 Apr 2000
• EMG recovery and ratings after back extensor fatigue in patients with lumbar disc herniation and healthy subjects. 14 Mar 2004
• Contribution of central and peripheral factors to residual fatigue in Guillain-Barré syndrome. 29 Jun 2007
• Effects of the mechanical load on forward bending motion of the trunk: comparison between patients with motion-induced intermittent low back pain and healthy subjects. 13 Jan 2007
• Electromyographic analysis of exercise resulting in symptoms of muscle damage. 28 Feb 2000
• Effects of muscle damage induced by eccentric exercise on muscle fatigue. 29 Jun 2005
• Evaluation of measurement strategies to increase the reliability of EMG indices to assess back muscle fatigue and recovery. 30 Mar 2002

See 100+ related articles.

Related Article Map

Legend: - FREE Full text Article. - Abstract only. - Title only. More help.

See a large map of 100+ related articles.