The effect of abdominal drawing-in exercise and myofascial release on pain, flexibility, and balance of elderly females

Abstract

[Purpose] This study is designed to compare the effects of abdominal drawing-in exercise and myofascial release on pain, flexibility, and balance of elderly females. [Subjects and Methods] Forty elderly females aged 65 or older who had complained of low back pain for three months or longer were selected as the subjects. They were randomly and equally assigned to either an abdominal drawing-in group or a myofascial release group. The subjects conducted exercise three times per week, 40 minutes each time, for eight weeks. As evaluation tools, visual analogue scale for pain, remodified schober test for flexibility, and upright posture with eye opening on hard platform, upright posture with eye closing on hard platform, upright posture with eye opening on soft platform, upright posture with eye closing on soft platform using tetrax for balance were used. [Results] The abdominal drawing-in exercise group saw significant difference in pain and balance after the exercise compared to before the exercise. The myofascial release group saw significant difference in pain and flexibility after exercise compared to before the exercise. [Conclusion] The above study showed that abdominal drawing-in exercise affected elderly females regarding pain and balance and myofascial release influenced their pain and flexibility.

The relative efficacy of two exercise methods for older adults with chronic low back pain: A preliminary randomized control study

“…The MDT group received exercises focused on muscle flexibility and joint range of motion, muscle strengthening, and postural control. This was achieved by a variety of techniques, including specific exercises designed to address muscle tightness and weakness, MTrP release, MET, PNF stretching, area‐specific muscle contraction exercises, and neural gliding techniques that are used to reduce and correct muscle tightness (Beltran‐Alacreu, Jiménez‐Sanz, Fernández Carnero, & La Touche, ; Yu et al., ). Due to the individualized nature of the MDT group, treatment was not limited to a single form of exercise but, rather, a multidimensional individually tailored approach was taken to address each participant's unique problem.…”

Effects of manual therapies on stability in people with musculoskeletal pain: a systematic review

“…Eight studies examining balance measured objective balance [24,27,35,36,[38][39][40]42]. These studies were either too heterogeneous in the parameters analysed or there was insufficient reporting on the calculations used, to compare any of them in a meta-analysis.…”

“…Seven of these eight studies [24,27,35,36,39,40,42] used measures of pain perception and balance as an outcome of an intervention for musculoskeletal pain and recorded a reduction in pain perception as a result of the intervention. Note that Trampas and colleagues [40] used pain pressure threshold of muscular trigger points, not pain perception per se, as the outcome measure.…”

“…Note that Trampas and colleagues [40] used pain pressure threshold of muscular trigger points, not pain perception per se, as the outcome measure. Five studies noted an associated improvement in balance [35,36,39,40,42].…”

Análise quantitativa da flexibilidade da coluna vertebral em homens e mulheres sedentários e ativos / Quantitative analysis of spinal flexibility in sedentary and active men and women

“…5 Com o avançar da idade, a flexibilidade sofre alterações. 6,7 Além disso, o corpo feminino geralmente é mais flexível do que o masculino, devido à presença de estró-geno e progesterona, hormônios que ajudam na manutenção da flexibilidade. 8 A flexibilidade também se modifica dependendo do tipo de exercício físico realizado dentre eles programas de fortalecimento visando ao ganho de massa muscular, com alteração de volumes muscular e adiposo, e também com a temperatura ambiental e corpó-rea, levando em conta a deformação elástica e plástica do tecido.…”