The effects of running in place in a limited area with abdominal drawing-in maneuvers on abdominal muscle thickness in chronic low back pain patients.

BACKGROUND: Based on previous studies indicating that core stabilization exercises accompanied by abdominal drawing-in maneuvers increase the thickness of the transversus abdominis muscle.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the measurements of abdominal muscle thicknesses during running in place in a limited area with the abdominal drawing-in maneuver.

METHODS: The study classified the subjects into two experimental groups: the training group (M = 2, F = 13), and the control group (M = 2, F = 13). The training group performed three sets of running in place in a limited area with abdominal drawing-in maneuvers each time, three times a week for six weeks. The abdominal muscle thicknesses of the subjects were measured using ultrasonography.

RESULTS: Comparing the training group's abdominal muscle thickness before and after this study, there was a statistical significance in all of the external obliquus abdominis, the internal obliquus abdominis, and the transversus abdominis. In particular, thicknesses of external obliquus abdominis and internal obliquus increased remarkably.

CONCLUSIONS: Running in place in a limited area accompanied by abdominal drawing-in maneuvers increased the thickness of the deep abdominal muscles that are the basis of trunk stabilization.