Degrees Of Trunk Flexion Research Articles

The comparative analysis of postural and biomechanical parameters of preschool teachers pre- and post-intervention within the ErgoKiTa study

The ErgoKiTa study aimed to determine the musculoskeletal strain of preschool teachers and to identify and evaluate suitable prevention measures to reduce this strain. A comprehensive work analysis using objective and subjective methods was performed to determine the present work situation in preschools in Germany, and the results were used to derive suitable intervention measures. The musculoskeletal strain was determined by means of a comprehensive analysis of postures, forces and movements using the CUELA system and calculated as cumulative shift workloads. The intervention measures were evaluated in a pre- and post-intervention assessment for 12 participants. Significant alterations in the duration of postures were determined, specifically for the daily duration of knee-straining postures as well as the degree of trunk flexion between 60° and 90°, which were reduced from 8.4 to 3.1% and from 3.7 to 2.4%, respectively, following the intervention.Practitioner Summary: Research has shown that preschool teachers are at risk of developing musculoskeletal disorders. The effects of a situation-orientated and behaviour-orientated intervention approach were assessed with regard to awkward working postures. Significant alterations in the duration of postures following the intervention were found, specifically for knee-straining postures.

Changes of posture and muscle activities in the trunk and legs during walking in patients with lumbar spinal stenosis after decompression surgery. A preliminary report

Neurogenic intermittent claudication is a main symptom in lumbar spinal stenosis (LSS), and postural change is often observed during walking. This study aimed to identify the changes in posture and muscle activity in the trunk and legs during walking in patients with LSS by examining 6 patients who had undergone decompression surgery. None of them had significant paralysis. Gait analysis using Vicon motion capture system® with electromyographic recordings of the paravertebral muscles (PVM) and vastus lateralis muscle (VL) was performed preoperatively and 2 weeks postoperatively. Results showed that the thorax angle indicating the degree of trunk flexion after walking decreased significantly and the pelvic angle tended to decrease after surgery. However, there were no difference in the spine angle, which is a measure of the motion of the thoraco-lumbar spine among the evaluations. The knee angle increased significantly after surgery both at the beginning and at the end of walking, but the angles of the hip and ankle did not change significantly after surgery. Knee torques increased significantly after surgery both at the beginning and at the end of walking. The activity of the PVM decreased and that of the VL increased after surgery. The results indicate that patients with LSS walk in a forward-bending position without flexing the spine, which can be one of the neurologic symptoms. Increases in knee torque and VL activity seemed to reflect the increase of walking speed, and the decrease of PVM activity appeared to be caused by postural improvement after surgery.

THE EFFECTS OF THE PILATES METHOD ON HAMSTRING EXTENSIBILITY, PELVIC TILT AND TRUNK FLEXION

Pilates includes a high volume of hamstring stretching and maximal trunk flexion with knees extended exercises. to perform a systematic review about Pilates practice effects and a detraining period on hamstring extensibility, pelvic tilt and trunk flexion in maximal trunk flexion with knees extended. it was analysed all the experimental or quasi-experimental designs written in English, Spanish or Portuguese and included in the following databases: Pubmed, Sports Discus, ISI Web of Knowledge, Dialnet and Research Gate. twenty-one papers were analysed. Most of them used a pre-test-post-test design with control group. The intervention programs applied were heterogeneous. Samples were composed mainly of women, both young and old. It was found that the Pilates practice, with different volume, significantly increased hamstring muscle extensibility and pelvic tilt in maximal trunk flexion. At least three training sessions peer week during six weeks were necessary in order to obtain a high trunk inclination. Studies which involved athletes showed contradictory results. By inducing a detraining period it was noticed a decrease in hamstring extensibility and trunk flexion from the second week. there is a moderate evidence that Pilates is an effective method to increase hamstring extensibility, pelvic tilt and the degree of trunk flexion in maximal flexion positions in sedentary and recreational active people and also to increase hamstring extensibility in athletes.

Camptocormia in Parkinson disease: an epidemiological and clinical study

Background:Camptocormia is an abnormal flexion of the thoracolumbar spine during standing and walking that abates in the recumbent position.Methods:In a single-centre epidemiological and clinical study, the prevalence of camptocormia in...

The Effect of Trunk-Flexed Postures on Balance and Metabolic Energy Expenditure During Standing

This study analyzed force plate, kinematic, and metabolic energy data of 14 able-bodied subjects standing statically with upright and trunk-flexed postures. To explore the effect of trunk-flexed postures on balance and metabolic energy expenditure during standing. Abnormal trunk posture often occurs in the presence of spinal deformities, such as lumbar flatback. It is unclear whether alterations in trunk posture affect energy expenditure and the location of the body's center of mass in the transverse plane (BCOMtrans) during standing. Kinematic, kinetic, and energy expenditure data were collected with upright trunk alignment and with 25 degrees +/- 7 degrees and 50 degrees +/- 7 degrees of trunk flexion from the vertical. The mean location of the BCOMtrans was estimated from the net center of pressure (COP), which is a weighted average of the COP beneath both feet. The fore-aft position of the net COP under the base of support was not significantly different between postures (P < 0.08). At each posture, the net COP was located 16% of the foot length anterior to the ankle joint centers. However, with increasing trunk flexion, there was a significant increase in oxygen consumption rate (P < 0.001 for all postures). Compensatory actions, such as ankle plantarflexion and hip flexion, allowed the mean position of the net COP to remain within a narrowly defined region irrespective of trunk posture. Changes in muscle activity associated with a trunk-flexed posture and the associated compensations likely contributed to the increased energy expenditure.

Strength in combined motions of rotation and flexion/ extension in normal young adults

Thirty-eight normal healthy young subjects (14 males, 24 females) with mean ages of 23 years (males) and 21 years (females), performed 36 functional rotational tasks of the trunk. The subject's lower extremities were stabilized in a stabilizing platform, allowing the entire motion of flexion-rotation and extension-rotation to take place in the trunk. Of these tasks, 18 were isometric and the other 18 were isokinetic. The isometric tasks consisted of flexion-rotation and extensionrotation from a 20°, 40° and 60° flexed trunk in 20°, 40° and 60° of axial rotation. The isokinetic activity consisted of flexion-rotation and extension-rotation from upright and flexed postures respectively in 20°, 40° and 60° rotation planes at 15°, 30° and 60°/s angular velocities. The results revealed that the males were significantly stronger than females (p< 0.01) and isometric activities produced significantly greater torque compared to isokinetic efforts (p< 0.01). The degree of trunk flexion was not significant; the angle of rotation, although significant, had only a small effect. The 60° trunk rotation was significantly different from 20° and 40° of trunk rotation. The multiple regressions were all significant (p< 0.01); however, they predicted only 40 to 60% of the variations. Based on the results and analysis, it is suggested that the motion involved rather than the torque may have a consequential effect in the precipitation of back injuries.

Trunk extension strength and muscle activity in standing and kneeling postures.

A split-plot experimental design was used to evaluate the influence of posture, trunk angle, and rotational velocity on peak torque output and myoelectric activity during maximal trunk extension maneuvers. To determine whether the kneeling posture alters extension torque capabilities in isometric and isokinetic exercises as compared with standing. Also, to ascertain whether recruitment of trunk muscles is modified by such a postural change. Factors such as workplace geometry may force workers to adopt awkward or unusual postures in the performance of manual tasks. An understanding of the limitations placed on strength in unconventional working postures is crucial to the proper design of jobs. Twenty-one healthy male subjects (mean age = 36 years +/- 7 SD) performed 12 trunk extension exertions in standing and kneeling postures. Isometric tests were performed at 22.5 degrees, 45 degrees, and 67.5 degrees of trunk flexion. Isokinetic tests were done at three velocities: 30 degrees/sec, 60 degrees/sec, and 90 degrees/sec. Electromyographic data were collected from eight trunk muscles to assess muscle recruitment under each condition. A priori orthogonal contrasts were specified for analysis of both torque and electromyographic data. The kneeling posture was associated with a 15% decrease in peak torque output when contrasted with standing: however, no concomitant change in trunk muscle activity was evident. Trunk hyperflexion (isometric tests) and increasing rotational velocity (isokinetic tests) were associated with reduced torque in both postures. Trunk muscle activity was primarily affected by changes in trunk angle and velocity of contraction. A reduced extensor capability exists in the kneeling posture, despite equivalent trunk muscle activity. The similar activation patterns in both postures suggest that the strength deficit does not result from alterations in trunk muscle function. Rather, it may be the consequence of a reduced capability to rotate the pelvis in the kneeling posture, due to a disruption of the biomechanical linkage of the leg structures.