Introduction: Low back pain is usually considered as pain, muscle tension or stiffness localised below the rib cage and above the lower gluteal folds and can occur in all age groups, from children to the elderly. There are many potential risk factors for low back pain, including reduced endurance of the muscles of the trunk. Purpose: The aim of this thesis is to investigate the relationship between trunk muscle endurance and the risk of low back pain in adults, based on a literature review. Methods: The literature research was conducted in the PubMed electronic database. The following keyword and phrase combinations were used: trunk muscle endurance, low back pain, association, core muscle endurance. The review included research on the association between trunk muscle endurance and the incidence of low back pain, the findings of which were published in English between 2012 and 2022. The inclusion criteria for the review included the use of tests of trunk muscle endurance and/or activation, and questionnaires and/or scales to assess pain intensity. Results: Eight studies were included in the literature review. Most of the studies used various tests of trunk muscle endurance, two studies used muscle activation measurements in addition to the tests, and one study only used muscle activation measurements to test the fatigue of the measured muscles. Four studies found statistically significant differences between groups of people with or without low back pain, confirming the association of reduced trunk muscle endurance (especially flexor and lateral trunk muscles) with the incidence of low back pain. Reduced activation of the trunk muscles has also been observed in people with low back pain, and the authors proved that the level of pain has a significant impact on the individual's function and on the endurance of the trunk muscles. Discussion and conclusion: The results of the reviewed studies show a correlation between trunk muscle endurance and the incidence of lower back pain. Future research should consider the following recommendations: include a larger number of studies use standardised measurement techniques to measure trunk muscle endurance, and a deeper analytical assessment of pain.
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