Norms for an isometric muscle endurance test

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Sports Science
• Biomechanics

Background:

• Musculoskeletal performance assessment is vital for training programs, injury prevention, and performance enhancement.
• Existing methods for assessing abdominal endurance lack consistent validity.
• The prone forearm plank test offers a potential alternative for evaluating trunk stabilization and muscular endurance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish normative sex- and athlete-specific percentiles for the prone forearm plank test in college students.
• To examine the influence of habitual physical activity levels on plank test performance.
• To investigate the impact of test termination reasons on measured abdominal endurance.

Main Methods:

• 471 college-aged students (194 males, 277 females) performed a volitional or technique-failure prone forearm plank test.
• Data were collected on sex, athletic status, physical activity frequency, and reason for test termination.
• Statistical analyses were used to determine normative percentiles and investigate influencing factors.

Main Results:

• Males demonstrated significantly longer plank test durations than females (124s vs. 83s).
• Athletes also showed significantly greater test durations compared to non-athletes (123s vs. 83s).
• Physical activity exceeding 5 times/week significantly enhanced abdominal endurance; fatigue was the primary reason for test termination.

Conclusions:

• The prone forearm plank test can serve as a valid and reliable assessment for abdominal endurance in college students.
• Normative data provide benchmarks for evaluating trunk stabilization and muscular endurance.
• Further research is needed to generalize findings to diverse populations and confirm test validity.