title: The Effects of Volitional Preemptive Abdominal Contraction on Postural Control Responses in Healthy Subjects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the effect of volitional preemptive abdominal contraction by using an abdominal bracing maneuver (ABM) on postural control responses.
  
  
  METHODS
  A within-subjects, repeated-measure, experimental design.
  
  
  METHODS
  Laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-five healthy subjects between 18 and 50 years of age.
  
  
  METHODS
  Subjects performed ABM alternating with No-ABM during 2 rounds of 2 Neurocom computed dynamic posturography tests: the Motor Control Test (MCT) and conditions 1 (eyes open), 2 (eyes closed), and 5 (eyes closed, sway-referenced support) of the Sensory Organization Test (SOT).
  
  
  METHODS
  (1) MCT Response Latency (milliseconds) and Response Scaling (magnitude of active postural correction) and (2) SOT Equilibrium Scores and 2-Dimensional Sway (°/second), and SOT Movement Strategy, which measure postural sway and movement strategies (ankle versus hip strategy), respectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The use of ABM (versus No-ABM) produced: (1) a small but statistically significant decrease in SOT Equilibrium Score for condition 2 (-1.0%; P = .004); (2) an increase in SOT 2-Dimensional Sway (°/second) during conditions 1 (16.9%; P = .0001) and 2 (15.0%; P = .0001); (3) a small decrease in SOT Movement Strategy scores during condition 1 (-0.5%; P = .001) and condition 2 (-1.0%; P = .017); and (4) a reduction of MCT Response Latency by 3 milliseconds (-2.1%; P = .005) and reduction of Response Scaling by 0.33°/second (-9.2%; P = .001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Individuals can incorporate the ABM without substantively altering postural control. Although selected SOT and MCT scores exhibited small decreases in postural response integrity, those outcomes did not reflect functionally meaningful changes. These findings can enhance clinicians' confidence in prescribing the ABM as a means to protectively stabilize the spine and potentially prevent injury in healthy subjects without concern for reducing postural control, especially during more complex postural perturbations that introduce sensory conflict.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and the Center for Rehabilitation Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Vittal R
authors.initials: VR
authors.lastname: Nagar
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and the Center for Rehabilitation Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Steven F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Sawyer
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and the Center for Rehabilitation Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: C Roger
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: James
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and the Center for Rehabilitation Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Jean-Michel
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Brismée
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and the Center for Rehabilitation Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Troy L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Hooper
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and the Center for Rehabilitation Research, Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Lubbock, TX.
authors.forename: Phillip S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Sizer
mesh_terms: D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D026741:Physical Therapy Modalities; D004856:Postural Balance / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D014836:Volition; D055815:Young Adult