Acute effects of aquatic exercise on trunk flexibility and low back muscle strength in healthy Thai subjects

Abstract

Background : Aquatic exercise can increase the degree of movements of various joints, resulting in nimbleness and flexibility. Previous studies were carried out on long-term programs of aquatic exercise. There has not been any research work on acute effects of aquatic exercise.

Objectives : To study the acute effects of aquatic exercise on the change of the trunk flexibility and strength of the lower back muscles of healthy subjects.

Setting : Faculty of Associate Medical Sciences, Khon Kaen University.

Design : Experimental research.

Methodology : Ninety-eight healthy Thai persons who were divided into two groups: control and experimental. The control group (n = 49) did not undergo aquatic exercise. The experimental group (n = 49) underwent aquatic exercise. The volunteers’ trunk flexibility and the strength of lower back muscles were measured at 60 min before and after the exercise.

Results : The values of trunk flexibility of the control group before and after the program were 2.7± 9.2 and 3.8 ± 8.8 centimeters (p = 0.061), whereas their strengths of the lower back muscles were 72.6 ± 26.2 and 72.1 ± 24.4 kilograms (p = 0.318). As for the experimental group, their trunk flexibilities before and after the program were measured at 3.4 ± 9.7 and 5.5 ± 9.0 centimeters (p = 0.000), whereas their strengths of the lower back muscles were 65.7 ± 20.3 and 67.9 ± 22.1 kilograms (p = 0.101).

Conclusion : Aquatic exercise could increase trunk flexibility but not the strength of the lower back muscles. The retention effect of trunk flexibility cannot be accurately stated, and it should be further investigated.