The effect of a hatha yoga exercise programme with segmental stabilisation exercises on trunk flexibility

Petrič, Maja (author), Zaletel-Kragelj, Lijana (author), Vauhnik, Renata (author)

Introduction In addition to sufficient trunk muscle endurance, adequate trunk flexibility, i.e. trunk muscle extensibility and spinal mobility, is an important element for the stability of the spine and pelvis. The aim of this intervention study was to investigate the effects of a preventive exercise programme on trunk flexibility. Methods The participants were healthy adults without pain or injury in the lower back. They were divided into two groups: the exercise group (EG), which performed a hatha yoga exercise programme with segmental stabilisation exercises (12 weeks), and the control group (CG), in which they maintained their previous lifestyle during the study period. Before and after the intervention the measured variables, the extensibility of the trunk muscles and the mobility of the thoracolumbar spine were compared. Results Seventy-two participants (nEG=36, age 32.2±6.8 years; nCG=36, age 29.9±7.8 years) took part in the study. After the exercise programme, the EG participants achieved significantly better extensibility of the iliopsoas muscle (p≤0.001), the V-Sit and Reach Test (p=0.001) and the mobility of the thoracolumbar spine (p<0.05). Significant differences between the two groups were found in four of five extensibility tests (p≤0.041) and in flexion, left lateral flexion and right rotation of the spine (p≤0.036). Conclusions The proposed exercise programme indicated a significant improvement in trunk flexibility. Future studies should investigate the long-term effects of the proposed exercise programme on a larger number of participants.

• Language: English
• Keywords: stabilisation exercises, prevention, low back pain
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: ZF - Faculty of Health Sciences; MF - Faculty of Medicine
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Publication date: 01.01.2025
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: Str. 152-159
• Numbering: Letn. 64, št. 3
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-171737
• UDC: 615.8
• ISSN on article: 0351-0026
• DOI: 10.2478/sjph-2025-0019
• COBISS.SI-ID: 240541443
• Publication date in RUL: 01.09.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Zdravstveno varstvo
• Publisher: Zavod LRS za zdravstveno varstvo, Republiški zdravstveni center, Zavod LRS za zdravstveno varstvo, Republiški zdravstveni center, Univerzitetni zavod za zdravstveno in socialno varstvo, Inštitut za varovanje zdravja Republike Slovenije, Nacionalni inštitut za javno zdravje
• ISSN: 0351-0026
• COBISS.SI-ID: 3287810

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Učinek hatha joge, stopnjevane po načelih segmentne stabilizacije hrbtenice in medenice, na gibčnost trupa

Abstract

Uvod Poleg primerne vzdržljivosti mišic trupa predstavljata pomembna elementa sistema stabilnosti hrbtenice in medenice tudi primerna raztegljivost mišic trupa in ustrezna gibljivost hrbtenice. Namen raziskave je bil preveriti učinke hatha joge, stopnjevane po načelih segmentne stabilizacije hrbtenice in medenice, na gibčnost trupa. Metode V raziskavo so bili vključeni zdravi odrasli brez bolečin in/ali poškodb hrbtenice in medenice, ki pred vključitvijo v raziskavo niso redno izvajali vadb za izboljšanje raztegljivosti mišic in/ali gibljivosti hrbtenice. Razdeljeni so bili v dve skupini: vadbeno (VS), v kateri so v obdobju treh mesecev, dvakrat na teden po 60 minut, izvajali hatha jogo, stopnjevano po načelih segmentne stabilizacije hrbtenice in medenice; ali v primerjalno (PS), v kateri niso spreminjali svojega trenutnega življenjskega sloga. Ob vključitvi v raziskavo (PRED) in po končanem trimesečnem vadbenem obdobju (PO) je bila merjena raztegljivost mišic trupa in kolka ter gibljivost prsno-ledvenega dela hrbtenice. Analizirane so bile spremembe merjenih spremenljivk (PRED-PO, VS-PS). Rezultati V raziskavi je sodelovalo 72 preiskovancev (nVS = 36, stari 32,2 ± 6,8 let; nPS = 36, stari 29,9 ± 7,8 let). Preiskovanci VS so po zaključku vadbenega programa dosegli statistično značilno boljšo raztegljivost mišice iliopsoas in rezultat testa V-doseg sede (p ≤ 0,001) ter gibljivost prsno-ledvenega dela hrbtenice (p < 0,05). Med skupinama VS in PS so bile statistično značilne razlike ugotovljene pri štirih od petih testov raztegljivosti mišic (p ≤ 0,041) ter pri izboljšanju obsega fleksije, lateralne fleksije v levo ter rotacije hrbtenice v desno stran (p ≤ 0,036). Zaključki S hatha jogo, stopnjevano po načelih segmentne stabilizacije hrbtenice in medenice, lahko pomembno izboljšamo gibčnost trupa, in sicer tako z vidika boljše raztegljivosti nekaterih mišic kot tudi gibljivosti prsno-ledvenega dela hrbtenice. V nadaljnjih raziskavah bi bilo smiselno preveriti še dolgoročne učinke vadbenega programa na večjem vzorcu preiskovancev

• Keywords: stabilizacijska vadba, preventiva, bolečina v spodnjem delu hrbta

Projects

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P3-0388-2022
• Name: Mehanizmi varovanja zdravja

• Funder: ARIS - Slovenian Research and Innovation Agency
• Project number: P3-0429-2022
• Name: Slovenski raziskovalni program za celostno obravnavo raka SLORApro