In developing a method of quantifying stability in the lumbar spine Cholewicki and McGill (1996) have also broached the notion of sufficient stability, where too much stiffness (and stability) would hinder motion. Thus people highly skilled at maintaining stability may use different and optimal strategies, where <i>sufficient</i> stability is maintained. The purpose of this work was to explore the contributors to <i>sufficient</i> stability, how they coordinate and relate to injury mechanisms. This work represents a cascade of investigations where. 1) To explore the balance of various sources of stiffness and their effect on the critical load and post-buckling behaviour, simulations were undertaken where the buckled configuration of the spine was predicted and its stability in this new configuration was assessed. 2) The various sources of stiffness contributing to stability in the lumbar spine have been in some cases found to be deficient. The question of how these deficiencies place individuals at risk of instability, if at all, remains unresolved. A challenged breathing task was used to determine if there was a difference in stabilizing potential between healthy individuals and low back pain sufferers. Given that differences in stabilizing potential are apparent, several tasks which included a predetermined motor strategy, such as 3)pressurizing the abdomen and 4) abdominal hollowing vs. muscle bracing, were evaluated to determine if individuals can utilize motor strategies to augment stability. The stabilizing potential of abdominal pressure (IAP) and its interaction with muscle activation was evaluated. Some individuals are more skilled at stabilizing their lumbar spine than others. Some consciously controlled motor strategies are better stabilizers than others. These strategies highlight the relative contributions of various components (posture, passive tissue, muscle activation, and load) in that no single muscle dominates stability and IAP appears to augment stability beyond muscle activation alone. The margin of safety is considerable and depends on the task at hand, but it is possible to speculate on which tissues are at greatest risk of injury.

In developing a method of quantifying stability in the lumbar spine Cholewicki and McGill (1996) have also broached the notion of sufficient stability, where too much stiffness (and stability) would hinder motion. Thus people highly skilled at maintaining stability may use different and optimal strategies, where <i>sufficient</i> stability is maintained. The purpose of this work was to explore the contributors to <i>sufficient</i> stability, how they coordinate and relate to injury mechanisms. This work represents a cascade of investigations where. 1) To explore the balance of various sources of stiffness and their effect on the critical load and post-buckling behaviour, simulations were undertaken where the buckled configuration of the spine was predicted and its stability in this new configuration was assessed. 2) The various sources of stiffness contributing to stability in the lumbar spine have been in some cases found to be deficient. The question of how these deficiencies place individuals at risk of instability, if at all, remains unresolved. A challenged breathing task was used to determine if there was a difference in stabilizing potential between healthy individuals and low back pain sufferers. Given that differences in stabilizing potential are apparent, several tasks which included a predetermined motor strategy, such as 3)pressurizing the abdomen and 4) abdominal hollowing vs. muscle bracing, were evaluated to determine if individuals can utilize motor strategies to augment stability. The stabilizing potential of abdominal pressure (IAP) and its interaction with muscle activation was evaluated. Some individuals are more skilled at stabilizing their lumbar spine than others. Some consciously controlled motor strategies are better stabilizers than others. These strategies highlight the relative contributions of various components (posture, passive tissue, muscle activation, and load) in that no single muscle dominates stability and IAP appears to augment stability beyond muscle activation alone. The margin of safety is considerable and depends on the task at hand, but it is possible to speculate on which tissues are at greatest risk of injury.

Darbo tikslas – palyginti dviejų skirtingų kineziterapijos programų poveikį pacientų funkcinei būklei esant skausmui dėl juosmeninės stuburo dalies disko išvaržos. Uždaviniai: 1. Įvertinti kineziterapijos programos vandenyje efektyvumą: skausmui, funkcinei būklei, juosmens–dubens srities stabilumui ir judesių valdymui bei statinei liemens raumenų jėgos ištvermei. 2. Įvertinti kineziterapijos programos salėje efektyvumą: skausmui, funkcinei būklei, juosmens–dubens srities stabilumui ir judesių valdymui bei statinei liemens raumenų jėgos ištvermei. 3. Palyginti kineziterapijos vandenyje ir kineziterapijos salėje programų efektyvumą: skausmui, funkcinei būklei, juosmens–dubens srities stabilumui, judesių valdymui bei statinei liemens raumenų jėgos ištvermei. Metodai: 1. Literatūros šaltinių analizė. 2. Anketinė apklausa. 3. Skausmo intensyvumo vertinimas naudojant skaičių analogijos skalę (SAS). 4. Juosmens–dubens srities stabilumo vertinimas naudojant slėgio matavimo prietaisą su grįžtamuoju ryšiu „Stabilizer“. 5. Juosmens–dubens srities valdymo funkcijos įvertinimas 5 testų rinkiniu pagal Hannu Luomajoki. 6. Nugaros ir pilvo raumenų statinės jėgos ištvermės vertinimas statinės atlikties testais. 7. Testų atlikties filmavimas ir vaizdinės medžiagos analizė. 8. Matematinė statistinė analizė. Tyrimas atliktas VšĮ Vilkaviškio ligoninė. Tyrime dalyvavo 28 tiriamieji (16 moterų ir 12 vyrų), kurie atsitiktine tvarka buvo suskirstyti į dvi grupes: kineziterapija vandenyje (n=14) ir... [toliau žr. visą tekstą] / Aim: to study and to compare impact of different kinezitherapy programs on a functional state of a patient in case of pain due to spinal hernia of waistline. Objectives: 1. to assess the efficiency of kinezitherapy program in water in terms of pain, a functional state, stability of waist – coxa area , management of movements and stamina of static waist muscles’ power; 2. to assess the efficiency of kinezitherapy program in a gym in terms of pain, a functional state, stability of waist – coxa area , management of movements and stamina of static waist muscles’ power; 3. to compare the efficiency of kinezitherapy program in water and in a gym in terms of pain, a functional state, stability of waist – coxa area, management of movements and stamina of static waist muscles’ power. Methods: 1. Analysis of literature sources; 2. Questionnaire; 3. Pain efficiency assessment via the Digital Analog Scale (DAS); 4. Assessment of stability of waist – coxa area with a pressure measurement device with a feedback “Stabilizer“. 5. Assessment of waist – coxa area management function with 5 test kit of Hannu Luomajoki. 6. Assessment of static power stamina of back and abdominal muscles by static exercising tests. 7. Shooting of test exercising and analysis of video material. 8. Mathematical statistical analysis. Research has been conducted at the Public Enterprise Vilkaviškio ligoninė. A total number of respondents: 28 (16 females and 12 males), divided in two groups randomly: kinezitherapy... [to full text]

All trunk muscles are important contributors to spine stability. However, the deepest abdominal muscle, transversus abdominis (TrA), with its characteristically horizontal fibre orientation seems to serve a unique function in trunk motor control. The main mechanical role of TrA is believed to be to contribute to vertebral alignment during imposed moments on the trunk, executed mainly via either regulating the pressure level within the abdominal cavity and/or transmit forces to the spine via the thoracolumbar fascia. However, the complete function of TrA and what factors affect its activation are still not fully understood. The purpose of the present thesis was to investigate the role of TrA in trunk motor control, specifically in relation to the presence or absence of postural demand on the trunk. The timing and magnitude of TrA activation were investigated, in relation to other trunk muscles, with intramuscular fine-wire electrodes in different loading situations and body positions with varying postural demand. In a side-lying position, with no postural demand of keeping the trunk upright, the activation of TrA was delayed relative the superficial abdominal muscles compared to previous experiments performed in a standing position. The timing and magnitude of activation of TrA did not depend upon the direction of perturbation. In the standing position, different static arm positions revealed that the activation of TrA co-varied with variations in the degree of postural demand on the trunk and also the imposed moments, regardless of moment direction. Finally, a study on rapid arm flexion movements confirmed that TrA is part of the pre-programmed anticipatory response in advance of known perturbations. The activation magnitude of TrA was the same regardless if the arm movement induced flexion or extension  moments on the trunk. In conclusion, the activation of TrA is associated with the upright postural demand on the trunk and with balancing imposed moments acting on the spine, regardless their direction. The findings are in support of the beliefs that TrA act as a general, direction non specific, stabilizer of the lumbar spine.