No abstract

Introduction: Decreased or delayed multifidus and transversus abdominis (TrA) activity, transition of the TrA from tonic to phasic activity, and increased activity in the more superficial erector spinae muscles are behaviors unique to people with lumbar radiculopathy. The aim of this study was to investigate whether the isolated AHM could compensate for functional impairments caused by tibialis anterior (TA) muscle weakness due to unilateral L4-L5 radiculopathy. Material and Method: The healthy and affected lower extremities of seventeen patients with unilateral lumbar disc herniation were analyzed. The ratio of TA and medial gastrocnemius (MGC) values that emerged during the activities to the maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) values of these muscles was called MVIC%. Then the MVIC% values of the TA and MGC were matched and the muscle reciprocal activation ratio was determined ("MVIC%"-TA/"MVIC%"-MGC). While the activities were being performed, the MVIC% values of both muscles were measured separately without performing the AHM and during the AHM. Results: During the tandem walking activity performed with the AHM, the reciprocal activation rates of TA:MGC on the affected and healthy legs converged (p=0.010,d=0.71). Conclusion: According to the results of the study, integration of the AHM into tandem walking activity brought the reciprocal activation rates of both legs closer to each other and enabled them to exhibit similar behaviors, even without adherence to any exercise protocol. Therefore, tandem walking can be selected as an appropriate activity to combine with spinal stabilization exercises performed by unilateral L4-L5 radiculopathy patients using the AHM along with the task.