The purpose of this study was to present reference data for developing an effective exercise for patients with back pain by identifying thickness changes and muscle activities induced by performing bridging exercise on different support surfaces.
The bridging exercise is an exercise which controls weight load by pressing the feet against a support surface, which plays a role in controlling body balance and power to maintain the position22). It is performed to promote coordinated contraction of global muscles and local muscles in a position in which patients with back pain feel comfortable and less painful23), and to increase the muscle power of hip extensor group, and it can restore trunk stabilization ability19). In trunk stabilization exercises, a dynamic stabilization exercise on an unstable support surface is more effective, because it stimulates the motor regions of the brain, sense of balance, and balance maintaining ability, by stimulating proprioceptors more than a static stabilization exercise on a stable support surface