Comparison of Isometric and Dynamic Bridging Exercise on Low Back Muscle Oxygenation

Bridging exercise is commonly performed in people with low back pain. However, the effect of contraction mode of bridging exercise on the hemodynamics of the low back muscle has not been investigated in people with and without LBP. The objective of this study was to assess the effect of the mode of bridging exercise on oxygenation of the low back muscle. A near-infrared spectroscopy was used to measure hemodynamic responses of the erector spinae between isometric and dynamic bridging exercise in 16 healthy participants. The results demonstrated that during exercise, isometric bridging exercise significantly decreased oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin compared with dynamic bridging exercise (oxyhemoglobin, t = -3.109, p = 0.007, Cohen’s d = 0.68) and deoxy-hemoglobin, t = -2.193, P = 0.046, Cohen’s d = 0.60). The results also demonstrated that after exercise, dynamic bridging exercise induced a significantly higher oxygenation response (oxygenation, t = -2.178, P = 0.048, Cohen’s d = 0.43). This study indicates that dynamic bridging exercise is more effective in improving oxygenation of low back muscles.