Efficacy of progressive core strengthening exercise on functional endurance tests and hypertrophy of multifidus, transverses abdominis in healthy female subjects with low core endurance

Objective: Aim of the present study was to find out the efficacy of core strengthening training on hypertrophy of core group of muscles (i.e) transverses abdominis (TA) and multifidus (MF) and on trunk flexor as well as extensor endurance tests in normal healthy low core endurance females. Methodology: Study Design: Single blind randomized control trail. Sample size: Convenient sample of 20 female college students with low core endurance. They divided into two groups. Intervention: Experimental group received six weeks progressive core stabilization exercise while control group received no treatment. Out come measurement: Pre and post reading of right and left side cross sectional area (CSA) of MF at L4 and L5 level and TA using ultra sound image. Flexor and extensor trunk isometric tests were too taken for functional improvement. Statistics: Related t- test were used to compare means within the group and unrelated t-tests were used to compare means between two unrelated groups. The significance level was set at p?0.05. Results: Prior to the intervention there was no significant difference in CSA between the groups. After 6 weeks there was no significant improvement in control group. In experimental group, after six weeks on and average 35.41% improvement in CSA with MF L4 left being most improved site (53.50%) and TA left being least improved site (9.01%). All improvements are statistically highly significant with p<0.001. When the experimental group post values were compared with control group post values all MF CSA values were statistically highly significant (p<0.001) but TA CSA were not. Conclusion: The present study results supports that 6 weeks progressive core stabilization can be used as prehabilitation to prevent LBP in normal healthy female students.