Effects of an abdominal drawing-in manoeuvre on stabilometric and gait parameters in adults: a pilot study

Introduction. To our knowledge, no studies have checked the effect of the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) on gait and stabilometric parameters in lower back pain (LBP) and pain-free subjects Aim. To assess the effect of sustained ADIM on a) gait pattern and b) stabilometric parameters with opened eyes and closed eyes in an adult population. Material and Methods. A group of 20 adults were invited to participate in the study. The Oswestry Disability Index was used for assessing LBP. Gait analysis was performed on a treadmill ZEBRIS FDM-T. The static balance assessment was performed on a stabilometric platform ZEBRIS FDM-S. Results. There were no significant differences in all tests conducted on the stabilometric platform. Results of gait analysis showed between-group differences in the main effect of group (Non-LBP vs. LBP) for the difference in maximal vertical ground reaction force during the terminal stance (GRFts). The mean GRFts value in the Non-LBP group was greater by 14.8 N (95% CI 9.55–20.1) compared with the LBP group (Table 3). Conclusions. ADIM has no immediate effects on selected stabilometric and gait parameters in the study group. No effect was seen in subjects with and without pain during the examination.