Effects of core strength training on core stability.
Shih-Lin Hsu, Harumi Oda, Saya Shirahata and 2 others
PMID 30154592WHAT IT FOUND
4 weeks of core strength training in 24 normal students reduced sway during a sudden push to the back while sitting, but many other seated balance measures did not change.
Key findings
01During quiet sitting with the Valsalva maneuver, rectus area increased significantly from pre-training to post-training in the training group.
02During sudden perturbation, the training group had a shorter center-of-pressure path length than the control group after training, both with and without the Valsalva maneuver.
03For dumbbell lifting and functional reach, parameters showed no significant differences between the with-Valsalva and without-Valsalva conditions, and no other measurement parameters showed significant intergroup or intragroup differences.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for PTs
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What it does not show
The study had only 24 normal students, so it may miss real effects and may not apply to older or disabled patients. The training was 4 weeks, 5 days a week, and the authors say the intensity, frequency, and duration may not have been sufficient to improve static balance. The participants were relatively active students, not elderly or disabled people. The outcome measures were mainly static sitting sway, with little examination of dynamic balance. The training program included exercises for the transverse abdominis and multifidus, diaphragm, and pelvic floor muscles together, so the paper cannot show which exercise caused any change. The paper does not name a primary outcome, so it is unclear which result should be treated as the main finding.
Declared interests
The authors declared no conflict of interest.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that core strength training improves all seated balance or that the Valsalva maneuver adds stability. The study had 24 normal students, and the clear between-group benefit was limited to shorter sway during sudden perturbation; most other measures did not differ.