Underwater exercise for ordonary adult lumbago patients (5 males, 5 females) and athletes with lumbago (11 males) was carried out.
The mean ages of ordonary adult lumbago patients and athletes with lumbago were 47.1 yr, and 20.1 yr respectively. The underwater exercise was conducted twice a week for three months.
The results obtained were as follows:
1) The values of VO₂max tended to be increased in both groups. The value of back strength in the ordinary adult lumbago patients became significantly higher than the basal value.
2) Lumbago treatment score as assessed by the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOS-score) and the results of the spinal function test (K-W test) were improved significantly in both groups of patients.
3) The values of knee flection and extension strength in the ordinary adult lumbago patients became significantly higher than the basal values, however, in the athletes with lumbago, became only the knee flection strength became significantly higher than the basal value.
4) The results of the spinal function test (K-W test) and all muscle strength tests in athletes with lumbago were improved to a greater extent than in the ordinary adult lumbago patients.
The present results suggest that lumbago can be significantly improved after three months of underwater exercise compared with that at the start of the exercise program in both ordinary adults and athletes with lumbago.