Shigeki Yokoyama

Background: Non-specific lower back pain is a common medically and economically impactful condition that affects patients’ quality of life. Purpose: This study aimed to determine the relationship between thoracic expansion and spinal curvature angle during trunk extension in healthy participants. Results: The participants comprised 24 men aged 18–21 years. The measurement items included the lateral and longitudinal diameters of the thorax, measured at the level of the xiphoid process and 10th rib, and spinal curvature angle, measured in the upright posture and trunk extension position. The difference in thoracic expansion levels during trunk extension tended to be greater in the lower thorax than in the upper thorax, with the lateral diameter higher than the longitudinal diameter. The inferior thoracic and lumbar curvatures increased with trunk extension. Regarding the relationship between the difference in thoracic expansion and the amount of change in the spinal curvature, the difference in the expiratory lateral diameter of the lower thorax during trunk extension was positively correlated with the superior thoracic curvature during trunk extension. Conclusions: These results indicate that expansion of the lower thoracic lateral diameter increased the thoracic curvature during trunk extension exercises. Consequently, the lumbar curvature may be suppressed. Reduced lower thorax flexibility may enhance lumbar curvature during trunk extension. Therefore, flexibility of the lower lateral thoracic diameter may be a factor when preventing lower back pain. KEY WORDS: Thorax, Lateral Diameter, Longitudinal Diameter, Trunk Extension, Chest Griping.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of isometric exercise using ATM®2 for acute low back pain (LBP) patients as a flexion or extension type. Methods: The subjects were twenty individuals (age 39.7±8.0ys, 12 males / 8 females) with acute LBP of less than four weeks duration who volunteered to participate in the study. The participants were allocated into four groups. First, the participants were classified by the direction of the movement causing pain in flexion and extension types. Secondly, both types were allocated randomly into two groups which were given exercises using the ATM®2 group and the usual care group. Finally, both groups were treated three times weekly for two weeks, totaling six sessions. Results: In terms of the extension type of LBP, the effect of the extension pain in the ATM®2-group significantly decreased pain (p=0.04) immediately. And in both groups significantly decreased (p=0.01, 0.001) for two weeks of intervention. Furthermore, in the flexion type of LBP, the effect of the flexion pain in the ATM®2-group and usual care group significantly decreased (p=0.001, p=0.03) during the two weeks intervention. However, neither group had an immediate effect. Conclusion: Isometric exercise using ATM®2 may have an immediate and short-term effect on acute LBP, which is greater in patients with an extension-type pattern. The ATM®2 exercise may reduce the pain of the acute LBP. Furthermore, it will be a problem in the future to analyze if the influence of pain is reduced in the immediate natural period that gives to chronic LBP.

[Purpose] This study investigated the parameters that characterize the knee, hip, and pelvic kinematics during a single-leg squat in preoperative anterior cruciate ligament rupture injury. [Participants and Methods] Overall, 15 patients with unilateral anterior cruciate ligament deficiency were enrolled in this study. For each single-leg squat, data from two-dimensional video cameras and three-dimensional motion analysis were collected. Measurement indices included the articular angles of the knee, hip, and trunk. The anterior cruciate ligament-injured leg was compared with the uninjured leg. [Results] The maximum knee valgus and flexion angles during a single-leg squat were smaller in the injured leg than in the uninjured leg. During the single-leg squat, the effect of “compensatory mechanisms” appeared as knee valgus and flexion movements. In particular, the knee valgus angle decreased in the anterior cruciate ligament-injured leg compared to that in the uninjured leg. [Conclusion] This phenomenon suggests that it is possible to utilize recurrence prevention training for anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Background: This study aimed to investigate the effects of isometric exercise using ATM®2 for acute low back pain (LBP) patients as a flexion or extension type.Methods: The subjects were twenty individuals (age 39.7±8.0ys, 12 males / 8 females) with acute LBP of less than four weeks duration who volunteered to participate in the study. The participants were allocated into four groups. First, the participants were classified by the direction of the movement causing pain in flexion and extension types. Secondly, both types were allocated randomly into two groups which were given exercises using the ATM®2 group and the usual care group. Finally, both groups were treated three times weekly for two weeks, totaling six sessions.Results: In terms of the extension type of LBP, the effect of the extension pain in the ATM®2-group significantly decreased pain (p=0.04) immediately. And in both groups significantly decreased (p=0.01, 0.001) for two weeks of intervention. Furthermore, in the flexion type of LBP, the effect of the flexion pain in the ATM®2-group and usual care group significantly decreased (p=0.001, p=0.03) during the two weeks intervention. However, neither group had an immediate effect.Conclusion: Isometric exercise using ATM®2 may have an immediate and short-term effect on acute LBP, which is greater in patients with an extension-type pattern. The ATM®2 exercise may reduce the pain of the acute LBP. Furthermore, it will be a problem in the future to analyze if the influence of pain is reduced in the immediate natural period that gives to chronic LBP.