The effects of prone bridge exercise on trunk muscle thickness in chronic low back pain patients

[Purpose] This study aimed to investigate the effects of prone bridge exercise on trunk muscle thickness. [Subjects and Methods] Thirty-seven chronic low back pain patients participated in this study. Each participant was randomly assigned to one of three exercise groups, namely, a prone bridge exercise group, supine bridge exercise on a Swiss ball group, and supine bridge exercise group. The thicknesses of the transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) were measured using ultrasound. [Results] After eight weeks of training, the three groups showed significant increases in the thicknesses of the TrA, IO, and EO. Among the groups, TrA and IO showed significantly different muscle thicknesses. [Conclusion] The prone bridge exercise significantly affected the thicknesses of the TrA, IO, and EO unlike the supine bridge exercises. Based on the results of this study, the prone bridge exercise is a more effective method to improve trunk stability than conventional supine bridge exercises.