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Name
Section
Date
LAB 5.3 Assessing Muscular Endurance for Low-Back Health
LABORATORY ACTIVITIES
The three tests in this lab evaluate the muscular endurance of major spine-stabilizing muscles.
Side Bridge Endurance Test
Equipment
1. Stopwatch or clock with a second hand
2. Exercise mat
3. Partner
Preparation
Warm up your muscles with some low-intensity activity such
as walking or easy jogging. Practice assuming the side bridge
position described below.
Instructions
1. Lie on the mat on your side with your legs extended. Place your top foot in front of your lower foot for
support. Lift your hips off the mat so that you are supporting yourself on one elbow and your feet (see photo).
Your body should maintain a straight line. Breathe normally; don’t hold your breath.
2. Hold the position as long as possible. Your partner should keep track of the time and make sure that you maintain the correct position. Your final score is the total time you are able to hold the side bridge with correct
form—from the time you lift your hips until your hips return to the mat.
3. Rest for 5 minutes and then repeat the test on the other side. Record your times here and on the chart at the
end of the lab. Right side bridge time:
sec
Left side bridge time:
sec
Trunk Flexors Endurance Test
Equipment
1. Stopwatch or clock with a second hand
2. Exercise mat or padded exercise table
3. Two helpers
4. Jig angled at 60 from the floor or padded bench (optional)
Preparation
Warm up with some low-intensity activity such as walking or easy jogging.
Instructions
1. To start, assume a sit-up posture with your back supported at an angle of 60
from the floor; support can be provided by a jig, a padded bench, or a spotter
(see photos). Your knees and hips should both be flexed at 90, and your arms
should be folded across your chest with your hands placed on the opposite
shoulders. Your toes should be secured under a toe strap or held by a partner.
2. Your goal is to hold the starting position (isometric contraction) as long as possible after the support is pulled away. To begin the test, a helper should pull
the jig or other support back about 10 cm (4 inches). A helper should keep track of the time; if a spotter
is acting as your support, she or he should be ready to support your weight as soon as your torso begins to
move back. Your final score is the total time you are able to hold the contraction—from the time the support is
removed until any part of your back touches the support. Remember to breathe normally throughout the test.
3. Record your time here and on the chart at the end of the lab. Trunk flexors endurance time:
sec
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Lab 5.3 Assessing Muscular Endurance for Low-Back Health
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LABORATORY ACTIVITIES
Back Extensors Endurance Test
Equipment
1. Stopwatch or clock with a second hand
2. Extension bench with padded ankle support or any padded bench
3. Partner
Preparation
Warm up with some low-intensity activity such as walking or easy jogging.
Instructions
1. Lie face down on the test bench with the upper body extending out over the end of the bench and the pelvis,
hips, and knees flat on the bench. Your arms should be folded across your chest with your hands placed on the
opposite shoulders. Your feet should be secured under a padded strap or held by a partner.
2. Your goal is to hold your upper body in a straight horizontal line with your lower body as long as possible. Keep
your neck straight and neutral; don’t raise your head and don’t arch your back. Breathe normally. Your partner
should keep track of the time and watch your form. Your final score is the total time you are able to hold the horizontal position—from the time you assume the position until your upper body drops from the horizontal position.
3. Record your time here and on the chart below. Back extensors endurance time:
sec
Rating Your Test Results for Muscular Endurance for Low-Back Health
The table below shows mean endurance test times for healthy young college students with a mean age of 21 years.
Compare your scores with the times shown in the table. (If you are older or have suffered from low-back pain in the
past, these ratings are less accurate; however, your time scores can be used as a point of comparison.)
Mean Endurance Times (sec)
Right side bridge
95
75
Men
Women
Left side bridge
99
78
Trunk flexors
136
134
Back extensors
161
185
SOURCE: From S. M. McGill, 2002, Low Back Disorders: Evidence-Based Prevention and Rehabilitation, page 227, table 12.1. © 2002 by Stuart
McGill. Reprinted with permission from Human Kinetics (Champaign, IL).
Right side bridge:
Left side bridge:
Trunk flexors:
Back extensors:
sec
sec
sec
sec
Rating
Rating
Rating
Rating
(above
(above
(above
(above
mean,
mean,
mean,
mean,
at
at
at
at
mean,
mean,
mean,
mean,
below
below
below
below
mean):
mean):
mean):
mean):
Using Your Results
How did you score? Are you at all surprised by your scores for the low-back tests? Are you satisfied with your current
ratings?
If you’re not satisfied, set a realistic goal for improvement. The norms in this lab are based on healthy young adults,
so a score above the mean may or may not be realistic for you. Instead, you may want to set a specific goal based
on time rather than rating; for example, set a goal of improving your time by 10%. Imbalances in muscular endurance
have been linked with back problems, so if your rating is significantly lower for one of the three tests, you should
focus particular attention on that area of the body.
Goal:
What should you do next? Enter the results of this lab in the Preprogram Assessment column in Appendix D. If you’ve
set a goal for improvement, begin a program of low-back exercises such as that suggested in this chapter. After several weeks of your program, complete this lab again and enter the results in the Postprogram Assessment column of
Appendix D. How do the results compare?
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Chapter 5
Flexibility and Low-Back Health