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The Effect of Workplace Based Strengthening on Low Back Injury Rates. A Case Study in the Strip Mining Industry
Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation
1995 Volume 5 Number 3
Study Outcomes & Clinical Relevance:
This study demonstrates that healthy normal individuals show a significant increase in lumbar extension strength when these muscles are effectively isolated and trained. The magnitude of strength gained over the 10 week period is much greater than strength increases found with the average muscle group within the same period and indicates that the lumbar extensor muscles were in a deconditioned state prior to training. In addition, 10 of the 15 subjects that trained had reported using the Nautilus low back machine on a regular basis prior to the study period. This supports the concept that commercially-available low back machines do not isolate the lumbar muscles and that the lumbar extensor muscles must be effectively isolated through pelvic stabilization in order to elicit a training response from progressive resistance exercise.
