Normative value of core muscle strength using sphygmomanometer

Background: Core muscles are crucial for ensuring stability and strength in the abdominal, trunk, and lumbopelvic regions. College students often experience lower back pain due to sedentary lifestyles, prolonged computer usage, intense study habits, and incorrect sitting postures. Core stabilization exercises are effective in strengthening deep abdominal muscles using the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM). A sphygmomanometer is frequently used to evaluate core muscle strength. The mechanical low back pain scale (MLBP) and the straight leg raise test (SLR) are two reliable diagnostic techniques used to determine the severity of mechanical low back pain. Aim and objective: This study aims to investigate the normative value of core strength in participants with MLBP. Materials and Methods: A total of 116 females participants were recruited based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. The participants had mechanical low back pain and were between 18-25 years of age. Sphygmomanometer was used to check the core muscle strength, three trials of 10 seconds and with a one minute of rest required between each trail. It took 5- 8 minutes to obtain the higher pressure reading. The baseline characteristics were calculated using KOLMOGOROV and analyzed data with SPSS software. The median with interquartile range (IQR) was used to determine the values of core strength. Results and discussion: A normative value of core muscle strength was observed in female participants, in the supine position, with a median rank of 65.00 with an interquartile range (IQR) of 60.00-70.00 in participants with mechanical low back pain. Conclusion: The study concluded that sphygmomanometer is effective for the clinical use due to its portability, comfort and cost effectiveness, and ability to provide accurate measurement of core muscle strength with abdominal drawing-in maneuver technique in participants with mechanical low back pain. Keywords: Sphygmomanometer, core muscle strength, core stability, mechanical low back pain

背景：核心肌群（Core muscles）对于维持腹部、躯干及腰骶盆腔区域的稳定性与力量至关重要。大学生群体常因久坐生活方式、长时间使用电脑、高强度学习习惯及错误坐姿而罹患下腰痛。借助腹部内收动作（abdominal drawing-in maneuver, ADIM）实施核心稳定训练，可有效强化深层腹部肌群。血压计（sphygmomanometer）是临床评估核心肌群力量的常用工具。机械性下腰痛量表（mechanical low back pain scale, MLBP）与直腿抬高试验（straight leg raise test, SLR）是评估机械性下腰痛严重程度的两种可靠诊断手段。
目的与目标：本研究旨在探讨机械性下腰痛患者的核心力量参考值。
材料与方法：本研究根据纳入与排除标准，共招募116名女性受试者。受试者均罹患机械性下腰痛，年龄介于18~25岁之间。采用血压计测量核心肌群力量：每组测试时长为10秒，共完成3组测试，每组测试间需休息1分钟，获取最高压力读数所需时长为5~8分钟。采用KOLMOGOROV法计算基线特征，并使用SPSS软件对数据进行分析。以中位数与四分位间距（interquartile range, IQR）表征核心力量的参考值。
结果与讨论：在罹患机械性下腰痛的女性受试者中，仰卧位时的核心肌群力量参考值中位数为65.00，四分位间距为60.00~70.00。
结论：本研究证实，血压计因具备便携性、舒适性与成本效益优势，且可通过腹部内收动作技术准确测量机械性下腰痛患者的核心肌群力量，适用于临床应用。
关键词：血压计，核心肌群力量，核心稳定性，机械性下腰痛