Jessica Van Oosterwijck

Trunk extension exercises are used to train endurance and strength of the trunk extensor muscles. Appropriate exercise dosage is crucial to achieve specific training effects, however literature describing the relation between the predetermined exercise intensity and the actual trunk extensors activity is scarce and inconclusive. To examine whether the actual activity of the thoracic and lumbar extensors during extensions exercises correspond with the predetermined intensity, electromyographic evaluation of the trunk extensors was performed during trunk extension exercises at various intensities expressed as percentages of 1-RM. The 1-RM was predetermined using 2 different methods: (1) through direct estimation by determining the maximum isometric force produced during semi-seated trunk extension on a Tergumed rehabilitation device, (2) through indirect estimation calculated based on the relation between the maximum number of repetitions of trunk extension from prone lying on a varia...

Until now, there is no firm evidence for conservative therapy in patients with chronic Whiplash Associated Disorders (WAD). While chronic WAD is a biopsychosocial problem, education may be an essential part in the treatment and the prevention of chronic WAD. However, it is still unclear which type of educative intervention has already been used in WAD patients and how effective such interventions are. This systematic literature study aimed at providing an overview of the literature regarding the currently existing educative treatments for patients with whiplash or WAD and their evidence. Systematic review of the literature. A systematic literature search was conducted in the following databases: Pubmed, Springerlink, and Web of Science using different keyword combinations. We included randomized controlled clinical trials (RCT) that encompass the effectiveness of education for patients with WAD. The included articles were evaluated on their methodological quality. Ten RCT's of m...

Back extension exercises are often used in the rehabilitation of low back pain. However, at present it is not clear how the posterior muscles are recruited during different types of extension exercises. Therefore, the present study will evaluate the myoelectric activity of thoracic, lumbar and hip extensor muscles during different extension exercises in healthy persons. Based on these physiological observations we will make recommendations regarding the use of extensions exercises in clinical practice. Fourteen healthy subjects performed four standardized extension exercises (dynamic trunk extension, dynamic-static trunk extension, dynamic leg extension, dynamic-static leg extension) in randomized order at an intensity of 60% of 1-RM (one repetition maximum). Surface EMG signals of Latissimus dorsi (LD), Longissimus thoracis pars thoracic (LTT) and lumborum (LTL), Iliocostalis lumborum pars thoracic (ILT) and lumborum (ILL), lumbar Multifidus (LM) and Gluteus Maximus (GM) were measured during the various exercises. Subsequently, EMG root mean square values were calculated and compared between trunk and leg extension exercises, as well as between a dynamic and dynamic-static performance using mixed model analysis. During the dynamic exercises a 2 second concentric contraction was followed by a 2 second eccentric contraction, whereas in the dynamic-static performance, a 5 second isometric interval was added in between the concentric and eccentric contraction phase. In general, the muscles of the posterior chain were recruited on a higher level during trunk extension (mean ± SD, 56.6 ± 30.8%MVC) compared to leg extension (47.4 ± 30.3%MVC) (p ≤ 0.001). No significant differences were found in mean muscle activity between dynamic and dynamic-static performances (p = 0.053). The thoracic muscles (LTT and ILT) were recruited more during trunk extension (64.9 ± 27.1%MVC) than during leg extension (54.2 ± 22.1%MVC) (p = 0.045) without significant differences in activity between both muscles (p = 0.138). There was no significant differences in thoracic muscle usage between the dynamic or dynamic-static performance of the extension exercises (p = 0.574). The recruitment of the posterior muscle chain during different types of extension exercises was influenced by the moving body part, but not by the type of contraction. All muscle groups were activated at a higher degree during trunk extension compared to leg extension. Based on the recruitment level of the different muscles, all exercises can be used to improve the endurance capacity of thoracic muscles, however for improvement of lumbar muscle endurance leg extension exercises seem to be more appropriate. To train the endurance capacity of the LD and GM extension exercises are not appropriate.