Effects of prone spinal extension exercise on passive lumbar extension range of motion

The purpose of this study was to determine the effectiveness of prone spinal extension exercises for increasing passive lumbar extension range of motion in healthy young adults. Eighteen healthy female and 18 healthy male volunteers were divided randomly into control groups (women, n = 10; men, n = 8) and experimental groups (women, n = 8; men, n = 10). The experimental groups performed 20 repetitions of a prone extension exercise each day for four weeks; the control groups did not. We used spondylometry to measure lumbar extension ROM. The exercises produced a significant difference (p less than .025) in the passive lumbar extension ROM between the male experimental and control groups preventing a loss of spinal mobility in the men who exercised. Analysis of the data revealed no significant difference between the female groups. The results are discussed in light of the clinical significance of lumbar extension ROM. We suggest further studies to examine the effects of lumbar extension exercises on patients with restricted ROM and low back pain.