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Chulalongkorn Medical Journal

Abstract

Background : Aquatic exercise can increase the degree of movements of various joints,resulting in nimbleness and flexibility. Previous studies were carried out onlong-term programs of aquatic exercise. There has not been any researchwork on acute effects of aquatic exercise.Objectives : To study the acute effects of aquatic exercise on the change of the trunkflexibility 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: controland experimental. The control group (n = 49) did not undergo aquaticexercise. The experimental group (n = 49) underwent aquatic exercise.The volunteers’ trunk flexibility and the strength of lower back muscleswere measured at 60 min before and after the exercise.Results : The values of trunk flexibility of the control group before and afterthe program were 2.7± 9.2 and 3.8 ± 8.8 centimeters (p = 0.061), whereastheir strengths of the lower back muscles were 72.6 ± 26.2 and 72.1 ± 24.4kilograms (p = 0.318). As for the experimental group, their trunk flexibilitiesbefore and after the program were measured at 3.4 ± 9.7 and 5.5 ± 9.0centimeters (p = 0.000), whereas their strengths of the lower back muscleswere 65.7 ± 20.3 and 67.9 ± 22.1 kilograms (p = 0.101).Conclusion : Aquatic exercise could increase trunk flexibility but not the strength ofthe lower back muscles. The retention effect of trunk flexibility cannot beaccurately stated, and it should be further investigated.

Publisher

Faculty of Medicine, Chulalongkorn University

First Page

51

Last Page

60

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