Article

OBJECTIVE: To compare the effects of aquatic backward locomotion exercise and
progressive resistance exercise with a machine on lumbar extension strength in
patients who have undergone diskectomy for a lumbar disk herniation. DESIGN:
Prospective comparative study. SETTING: Department of Kinesiology at a state
university. PARTICIPANTS: Male patients (N=30) with disk herniation at spinal
levels L3 to S1 completed this study as subjects. INTERVENTION: After the
diskectomy for a lumbar disk herniation, all patients had 6 weeks of rest time.
At the end of the rest period, the aquatic backward locomotion exercise and
progressive resistance exercise groups, respectively, started first 6 weeks of
underwater training and lumbar extension training twice per week. After
completion of the first 6-week training, subjects participated in a second 6-week
training. After the whole 12-week training, subjects had no training for 6 weeks
(detraining) and a follow-up 6-week training (retraining). The control (CON)
group did not undergo any training. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: For each test, maximum
voluntary isometric lumbar extension strength was measured in 7 trunk positions
(72 degrees , 60 degrees , 48 degrees , 36 degrees , 24 degrees , 12 degrees ,
and 0 degrees of the trunk angle). RESULTS: The progressive resistance exercise
and aquatic backward locomotion exercise groups showed increases in lumbar
extension strength after the first 6-week training, although they were not
statistically different from the CON group. After a second 6-week training, the
progressive resistance exercise and aquatic backward locomotion exercise groups
showed statistically significant increases in their strength levels as compared
with the CON group. After the detraining period, the strength levels of the
progressive resistance exercise and aquatic backward locomotion exercise groups
did not statistically differ from the CON group. After the retraining period, the
progressive resistance exercise and aquatic backward locomotion exercise groups
showed increases in their strength levels, which were different from that of the
CON group. CONCLUSIONS: The results obtained suggested that the aquatic backward
locomotion exercise is as beneficial as progressive resistance exercise for
improving lumbar extension strength in patients after lumbar diskectomy surgery.
CI - Copyright 2010 American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine. Published by
Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Langue : ANGLAIS