Abstract
The purpose of this study is to clarify the dynamic properties of the trunk muscles of patients with low back pain. The subjects included 92 normal persons with no history of low back pain (47 males and 45 females) serving as controls, and 61 patients with low back pain (33 males and 28 females). We compared the isokinetic trunk strength in the two groups using a Cybex trunk extension-flexion unit (TEF), in which the velocity was varied over five steps, that is, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150deg/sec. The results were summarized as follows : 1)Extensors values in patients were markedly decreased. 2)The reduction of flexors values was lower in the patient group as the velocity increased. 3)The influence of increase of angular velocity was evident in the trunk extensors. 4)Discrepancies of the result between patients and controls were greater for females than for males.
