earticle

영어

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of trunk muscle strengthening training on siting balance and electromyography (EMG) activities oof selected trunk muscles in patients with traumatic thoracic spinal cord injuries. Eighteen subjects volunteered to participate in this study, and they were randomly allocated into either experimental group (EG) or control group (CG), 9 in each. Outcome measures comprised the modified functional reach test (mFRT) distance (mm), the modified motor assessment scale (mMAS), and modified sitting balance score (mSBS). And EMG activities also were measured for pectoralis major, upper trapezius, latissimus dorsi, thoracic and lumbar erector spinae, and external oblique. Trunk muscle strengthening training was peformed average 30-min per day, 5 times a week for 6 weeks (a total of 30 sessions). Measurements were performed before and after the intervention. In between-group comparison, changes between pre- and post-test revealed significant differences in mFRT score (p<.05), and EMG data on upper trapezius, latissimus dorsi, lumbar erector spinae, and external oblique of the right (p<.05). In within-group comparison, the EG appeared to be significantly different in mFRT와 mMAS scores (p<.05), while the CG showed a significant difference in mFRT score (p<.05). Futhermore, for EMG data of each muscle, there was significantly different in lumbar erector spinae of the right (p<.05). These findings suggest that trunk muscle strengthening training may be advantageous to enhance sitting balance and the activities of trunk muscles in patients with traumatic thoracic spinal cord injuries. Further studies need to warrant these findings.