Sling Training Improves Outcomes of Lumbar Stabilization Program
One of the most common bits of advice medical professionals give to patients with lower back pain is to strengthen their cores.
Physical therapy is often pursued in an effort to strengthen muscles in the core (lower back, stomach, pelvis and buttocks) that support the spine and help maintain proper posture.
It may seem that the best way to strengthen the core is to take the direct approach with crunches, bridges, the superman and other exercises that target the core.
These exercises are indeed good for strengthening not only one, but many important muscles in the core at the same time.
They encourage muscle co-activation, meaning the joint firing of muscles that often need to work together.
While these bodyweight exercises stand in high rank, it may be that a less direct and more whole-body approach to core strengthening yields better results.
Sling Exercise Recently, researchers sought to assess whether traditional physical therapy, sling training or sling training in addition to push-ups yielded better activation of key stabilizer muscles, including the multifidus, erector spinae and obliques.
Sling exercise entails the use of two slings that employ bodyweight and gravity as resistance against which to build muscle.
Sling training is becoming popular among fitness enthusiasts for its portability and adjustability for different fitness levels.
Sling training offers a whole-body workout, though different areas of the body may be emphasized by specific exercises.
All three groups in the study showed decreases in disability levels from two weeks of therapy, but after two weeks, the improvement in disability scores was significantly higher for those whose therapy incorporated sling training.
Another significant finding was that six weeks of traditional physical therapy yielded no changes in measurements of core muscle activation.
The groups that incorporated sling training saw increases in the activation of obliques, rectus abdominis and erector spinae.
The group incorporating push-ups yielded greater oblique and rectus abdominis gains, smaller gains in multifidus muscle area and less activation of erector spinae.
See more on the study at http://www.
ncbi.
nlm.
nih.
gov/pmc/articles/PMC3885842/.
Gains Without Risks What should we take away from this study? Exercise methods that incorporate the whole body, such as sling training, may yield better results for lumbar stabilization.
If you have chronic back pain, consider seeking out a physical therapist who uses the sling system in his or her office.
Home systems may also be purchased; the company Redcord provides home systems beginning at $169.
00.
See more on sling products at http://redcord.
myshopify.
com/collections/frontpage.
Whatever method of exercise you choose, avoid exercises that isolate one muscle group and overtax others, such as sit-ups.
These target the superficial stomach muscles and overtax the hip flexors, potentially leading to postural dysfunction that can worsen back pain.
Many core workout machines come with the same risk.
Bodyweight is generally the way to go for safe and effective core strengthening; the sling system allows you to intensify your bodyweight exercises without the same risks as machines.
Exercise is one of the most crucial components of back pain treatment.
Consider incorporating sling training into your exercise program.
Physical therapy is often pursued in an effort to strengthen muscles in the core (lower back, stomach, pelvis and buttocks) that support the spine and help maintain proper posture.
It may seem that the best way to strengthen the core is to take the direct approach with crunches, bridges, the superman and other exercises that target the core.
These exercises are indeed good for strengthening not only one, but many important muscles in the core at the same time.
They encourage muscle co-activation, meaning the joint firing of muscles that often need to work together.
While these bodyweight exercises stand in high rank, it may be that a less direct and more whole-body approach to core strengthening yields better results.
Sling Exercise Recently, researchers sought to assess whether traditional physical therapy, sling training or sling training in addition to push-ups yielded better activation of key stabilizer muscles, including the multifidus, erector spinae and obliques.
Sling exercise entails the use of two slings that employ bodyweight and gravity as resistance against which to build muscle.
Sling training is becoming popular among fitness enthusiasts for its portability and adjustability for different fitness levels.
Sling training offers a whole-body workout, though different areas of the body may be emphasized by specific exercises.
All three groups in the study showed decreases in disability levels from two weeks of therapy, but after two weeks, the improvement in disability scores was significantly higher for those whose therapy incorporated sling training.
Another significant finding was that six weeks of traditional physical therapy yielded no changes in measurements of core muscle activation.
The groups that incorporated sling training saw increases in the activation of obliques, rectus abdominis and erector spinae.
The group incorporating push-ups yielded greater oblique and rectus abdominis gains, smaller gains in multifidus muscle area and less activation of erector spinae.
See more on the study at http://www.
ncbi.
nlm.
nih.
gov/pmc/articles/PMC3885842/.
Gains Without Risks What should we take away from this study? Exercise methods that incorporate the whole body, such as sling training, may yield better results for lumbar stabilization.
If you have chronic back pain, consider seeking out a physical therapist who uses the sling system in his or her office.
Home systems may also be purchased; the company Redcord provides home systems beginning at $169.
00.
See more on sling products at http://redcord.
myshopify.
com/collections/frontpage.
Whatever method of exercise you choose, avoid exercises that isolate one muscle group and overtax others, such as sit-ups.
These target the superficial stomach muscles and overtax the hip flexors, potentially leading to postural dysfunction that can worsen back pain.
Many core workout machines come with the same risk.
Bodyweight is generally the way to go for safe and effective core strengthening; the sling system allows you to intensify your bodyweight exercises without the same risks as machines.
Exercise is one of the most crucial components of back pain treatment.
Consider incorporating sling training into your exercise program.
