Lumbar Stabilization Exercises in Sedentary Adults

Official title

The Effect of a Lumbar Stabilization Exercise Program on Quality of Life and Motor Control in Sedentary Adults

Overview

This pilot randomized controlled trial will examine the effects of a four-week lumbar spine stabilization exercise program on motor control, dynamic balance, and quality of life in healthy sedentary adults. Prolonged sedentary behavior has been associated with impaired neuromuscular function and increased risk of musculoskeletal disorders, even in asymptomatic individuals. Forty sedentary adults will be randomly assigned to either an intervention group, which will follow a structured lumbar stabilization exercise program, or to a control group, which will receive ergonomic and stretching guidelines. Outcomes will be assessed before and after the intervention using the SF-12v2 quality of life questionnaire, the Functional Movement Screen (FMS) and the Y-Balance Test. Physical activity levels will be monitored using the IPAQ-SF. The study aims to determine whether lumbar stabilization exercises improve health-related quality of life, motor control and dynamic balance in sedentary adults.

Detailed description

This study will employ a two-arm parallel randomized controlled design to examine the effectiveness of a four-week lumbar stabilization intervention in sedentary adults. Participants will be randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either an exercise intervention group or a control group.

To enhance measurement reliability, two baseline assessments will be conducted prior to the intervention and two post-intervention assessments will be performed after completion of the program, with a three-day interval between repeated measurements.

The stabilization program will focus on activation and progressive strengthening of the deep trunk musculature, with particular emphasis on transversus abdominis and multifidus activation. Special attention will be given to the acquisition of diaphragmatic breathing patterns to facilitate neuromuscular control. Exercises will be performed in multiple positions, including supine, side-lying, prone, and quadruped positions. The level of difficulty will be progressively increased throughout the four-week intervention period.

The control group will receive written ergonomic education and general stretching instructions without supervised exercise.

Assessments will be conducted using standardized and validated instruments to evaluate motor control, dynamic balance, and health-related quality of life. Statistical analysis will be performed using repeated-measures analysis of variance to assess within-group and between-group differences over time, with a predefined level of statistical significance set at 0.05.

Interventions

• Other Ergonomic and Stretching Instructions
  Educational booklet including ergonomic recommendations and general stretching exercises without supervised stabilization training.
• Behavioral Lumbar Stabilization Exercise Program
  A structured four-week lumbar stabilization exercise program targeting deep trunk musculature in healthy sedentary adults. The program will emphasize activation of the transversus abdominis, incorporation of diaphragmatic breathing, and progressive increase in exercise difficulty. Exercises will be performed under supervision in supine, prone, side-lying, and quadruped positions under structured guidance.

Primary outcome measures

• Short Form-12 Health Survey (SF-12v2) Scores [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks (post-intervention)]

Secondary outcome measures (2)

• Y-Balance Test Composite Score [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks (post-intervention)]
• Functional Movement Screen (FMS) Total Score [Time frame: Baseline and 4 weeks (post-intervention)]

Eligibility criteria

Inclusion criteria

• Healthy adults with a sedentary lifestyle (no regular structured exercise in the past 2-3 months)

• Ability to participate in a moderate-intensity exercise program
• Ability to understand instructions and complete assessment questionnaires

Exclusion criteria

• Regular participation in structured exercise programs within the previous 2-3 months

• Diagnosed lumbar disc herniation with neurological deficits
• History of spinal or lower limb surgery within the past year
• Acute musculoskeletal injury or exacerbation of low back pain within the past 4 weeks
• Neurological or neuromuscular disorders
• Active inflammatory rheumatic disease
• Cardiopulmonary contraindications to moderate-intensity exercise
• Pregnancy or postpartum period
• Use of medications significantly affecting balance or physical performance
• Inability to understand study instructions or comply with study procedures

Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.

Healthy volunteers: Yes

Study design

Allocation

Randomized

Model

Parallel assignment

Masking

Open label

Primary purpose

Prevention

Study locations

Greece · 1 center

• University of West Attica — Aigáleo

Identifiers

NCT: NCT07447167 · UWestAttica-LSE-116235 · 116235/12-11-2025

Primary sources (government registries)

• ClinicalTrials.gov (US NIH)

View this study on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗