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Low-back pain (LBP) is one of the most commonly treated forms of musculoskeletal pain. Around 2.3% of all physician office visits are due to this pathology as the primary diagnosis.1 The high prevalence of LBP has prompted a great deal of research on the etiology of the disease and effective treatment strategies. Evidence exists supporting the use of trunk stabilization exercises in the rehabilitation of LBP in a subset of individuals who meet classification criteria associated with this modality.2
Trunk stabilization exercises provide a method to (re)establish neuromuscular control of the lumbo-pelvic-hip musculature so that the trunk may be able to accommodate to unanticipated perturbations that would otherwise result in abnormal tissue loading and subsequent pain and dysfunction. Although the goals of this form of rehabilitation are typically agreed upon, controversy still remains over the best strategy to achieve improvement in patient outcomes. Two common strategies to reestablish neuromuscular control involve specific exercise techniques such as the abdominal drawing-in (hollowing) maneuver or an abdominal bracing maneuver. These exercises focus on activation of muscles that provide more segmental...