Thorax Flexibility can be Increased by Standing Pole Exercise

Abstract

Background: Discussion has been continued about the stability of the spine, and relationship with physical flexibility and exercise function. We have continued physical rehabilitation for various subjects, and proposed clinical application for pole exercise. In this study, we investigated the efficacy of standing pole exercise. Study protocol: The subjects were 9 healthy adults, 26.9 ± 5.9 years old. Method included standing pole exercise and 2 tests before and after the exercise. The exercise has 6 movements, including lateral bending, axis rotation, wave motion, backward spiral, forward spiral and warp and rounding. The pole was 160 cm in length, 610 g in weight. Two tests were percentage vital capacity (%VC) and weight bearing index (WBI), which showed significant differences between before and after the exercise (p<0.01). Discussion and conclusion: Theoretical mode of spinal stability has relationship with inner/outer core stability, flexibility, expandability, curved angles in spinal alignment, and so on. In current study, standing pole exercise would be effective for increased %VC and WBI, which may be from increased flexibility and expandability. These data would be basal data for clinical application and research development in the future.