What are the Endurance Times of the Trunk Muscle Endurance Tests on the Roman Chair: A Preliminary Normative Study

Sufficient trunk muscle endurance and an appropriate ratio between endurances of the major trunk muscle groups are important factors in the prevention of low back pain. Trunk muscle endurance tests on the 45° Roman chair can be used as an alternative to the standard tests, but there is a need to collect normative data for these tests.

The aim of this preliminary normative study was to assess the endurance times of the trunk muscles and the ratio between endurances of these trunk muscles during endurance tests on the Roman chair.

One hundred and six healthy participants aged 16-76 years (mean age: 36.9±11.7 years) without recent injuries or musculoskeletal disorders participated in our study. Trunk muscle endurance was tested on the Roman chair in four test positions: an endurance test for the trunk extensors, the trunk flexors and the lateral trunk muscles on the right and left side. For each test, the endurance time was recorded in seconds and the four trunk muscle endurance ratios were calculated for each participant.

The mean endurance time in the trunk extensors endurance test was significantly (p = 0.03) longer in women than in men. In addition, the ratios between the lateral trunk muscles and the extensors also differed significantly between women and men (p < 0.05).

The preliminary results on the normative endurance times for the trunk muscles in the Roman chair tests indicate some differences in muscle endurance between the genders. A larger sample of participants is required to determine normative values.