Purpose: This study was designed to determine if visual feedback via a laser pointer would enhance quality of lumbar mobility exercise in quadruped. A secondary aim of this study was to compare mobility assessed using the valid and reliable Modified-Modified Schober Test (MMST) to mobility measured indirectly using the laser pointer.
Subjects: 69
Methods: Adult participants with no low back pain (LBP) in the previous year or back surgery were randomly assigned to one of three groups for two sessions: Control (blindfolded during both), Intervention A (blindfolded then visual feedback), or Intervention B (visual feedback then blindfolded). Baseline standing lumbar flexion was assessed, then each participant assumed quadruped over a longitudinally oriented 44-inch floor grid while wearing a laser pointer attached to a waist belt. Participants performed alternating quadruped lumbar flexion (QLF) and extension (QLE), with each session \u3e48hrs apart. Visual feedback was provided via laser pointer. All attempts were video recorded.
Results: Training using a laser pointer did not have a significant impact on lumbar excursion in quadruped (p = .106, p = .681, respectively). Mobility scores remained consistent for the control (p = .823) and intervention groups (p = .124). A moderate-to-strong correlation (r = .638) was found between MMST values and the average QLF.
Conclusions: Visual feedback training using a laser transit was ineffective at increasing lumbar mobility. MMST flexion values were moderately correlated with QLF performance, suggesting the laser light transit shows potential to be used as a means of quantifying lumbar flexion range of motion
