The Effects of a 4-Week Trunk Stabilization Exercise Program on Gait Efficiency and Joint Coordination in University Students with Low Back Pain

Purpose: This study examined the effects of a four-week trunk stabilization exercise (TSE) program on the gait parameters, lower-limb joint motion, and pain intensity of university students with low back pain (LBP).Methods: Twenty-seven students with moderate disability levels (Korean Oswestry Disability Index: 21-40%) participated.The TSE program consisted of 16 stabilization exercises performed for 40 minutes per day, five times per week, using video-guided self-training.The gait parameters, including the step length and step width, were assessed using a pressure-sensing walkway system.The lower-limb joint angles during the swing phase were analyzed using smartphone video recordings processed in ImageJ, focusing on the hip flexion, knee flexion, and ankle dorsiflexion peaks.The pain intensity was measured using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS).All measurements were conducted under identical pre-and post-intervention conditions using a standardized fatigue protocol.The pre-post comparisons were analyzed using paired t-tests with effect sizes (Cohen's d). Results:The step length increased significantly, whereas the step width decreased after the intervention, indicating improved gait efficiency and mediolateral stability.Hip flexion during the swing phase increased significantly, while the changes in knee and ankle joint angles were not statistically significant.The pain intensity (VAS) showed a significant reduction.The effect sizes ranged from small to large, with the largest effects observed for the step length and pain reduction.Conclusion: The four-week TSE program effectively improved the gait symmetry, enhanced proximal joint mobility, and reduced pain in university students with LBP.These findings suggest that stabilization-based exercises are an efficient and accessible intervention for restoring neuromuscular control and may help prevent chronicity.