TRUNK MUSCLE ENDURANCE BY THE BAD RAGAZ METHOD IN SEDENTARY WOMEN

Guadagnin C.F.S.¹, Preis C.², Karam L.², Loureiro A.P.C.²

¹Hospital Universitário Cajuru, Physiotherapy Department, Curitiba, Brazil, ²Pontificia Universidade Catolica do Paraná, Physiotherapy Department - School of Life Sciences, Curitiba, Brazil

Background: An imbalance between the function and endurance of the trunk extensor and flexor muscles is a strong indication for the development of lumbar spine disorders.

Purpose: Analyze the effects of aquatic physiotherapy using the principles of the Bad Ragaz Method for the resistance of the trunk musculature.

Methods: Sixteen healthy, sedentary women with a mean age of 19.43 ± 1.6 and BMI of 22.87 ± 2.75 took part in this study. The interventions took place in a therapeutic swimming pool twice a week for 10 weeks, lasting 40 minutes each. The muscular endurance of the trunk was evaluated using an abdominal endurance test (one minute test) considering reference values for this age range of between weak ( 26 repetitions) and excellent (>42 repetitions), and the lumbar muscular endurance test.

Results: Significant results were found for both the abdominal endurance test, where the participants improved the number of repetitions from 18.6±5 to 26.3±6 (p = 0.000 – t-Student), and the lumbar muscular endurance test (p = 0.000 – Wilcoxon test), considering a level of significance of p≤0.05.

Conclusion(s): The aquatic physiotherapy program using the Bad Ragaz Method was efficient in improving the endurance of the trunk musculature in young, healthy, sedentary women.

Implications: The strengthening exercise program with emphasis on trunk muscle endurance suggests that the improvement of the lumbar spine function can prevent the onset of low back pain. Aquatic therapy is carried out in an ideal environment, because the water creates natural resistance for added strengthening that one cannot create on land. In addition, in the pool the risk of injury is eliminated due to water’s unweighting ability. The heat and buoyancy of the water also help induce relaxation and relieve pain.

Funding acknowledgements: No funding

Topic: Musculoskeletal: spine

Ethics approval: This study has been approved by the Human Research Ethics Committees- (CEP/PUCPR) number 234.116

All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.