• Aragona RJ
• Heffernan JP
• Speiser RM

• Back Pain / rehabilitation
• Exercise Therapy
• Radiography
• Spinal Injuries / therapy
• Spine / diagnostic imaging

This study evaluates the efficacy of rehabilitative spinal exercise maneuvers in restoring bilaterally symmetrical vertebral coupling and lumbar motion.  In the two case studies presented, lumbosacral single-axis lateral flexion stress maneuvers were performed with maximal physiological load capacity.  Stress roentgenographs were evaluated for spinous process and vertebral body coupled motion to determine the potential of lumbar arthrodial elastic dynamics.  Static neutral anteroposterior (AP) and static lateral flexion views were evaluated for X, Y, and Z axis rotational and translational misalignment deformities using the Cartesian coordinate sytem.

Based upon diagnostic discovery of aberrant asymmetrical intersegmental axial rotational motion on the pretherapeutic stress roentgenographs, a specific uneven ratio of repetitive therapeutic spinal exercises was assigned to each patient. The high ratio or greater number of exercise maneuvers attempted to evoke firing of the weak intrinsic muscles and induce normal vector directional motion on the dysfunctional side of spinous rotation.

Posttherapeutic roentgenographs were performed at specific intervals to evaluate the degree of any improved functional motion displacement as well as any reduction of misalignment deformity in the neutral erect AP roentgenograph. In the case studies presented, there was improved axial rotation vector motion function on the previously failed side of motion as a result of the prescribed therapeutic spinal exercises.

Author Keywords: Spinal biomechanics, lateral flexion roent­genographs, therapeutic spinal exercise, lumbar vertebrae.

This abstract is reproduced with the permission of the publisher.