A.E. Batueva, professor, Dr.Med.
A.N. Yakusheva
V.V. Ehrlich, associate professor, Ph.D.
South Ural State University (National Research University), Chelyabinsk

Keywords: proprioceptive sensitivity, motor memory, postural disorders, stabilometry, crossover, S.M. Bubnovsky's technique, gravitational axial loading reduction, dorsopathy, intermuscular interactions.

Introduction. Disturbance of intermuscular interactions of the musculoskeletal system may occur as a result of hypokinesia as well as increased motor activity characteristic, inter alia, of athletes. This disturbs visceromotor mutual influences, reduces the activity of the regulatory systems of the body, disturbs the functional stability of intermuscular interactions of the musculoskeletal system. As a result, there are complaints of undue fatiguability, reduced mental and physical performance, discomfort and pain in various parts of the back, most often in the lumbar region.   

As of today, various techniques of correction of disturbances of intermuscular interactions resulting from inadequate physical activity are being developed and actively implemented in health promotion. Crossover attracts the attention of health promotion adepts due to its great potential regarding the variety of exercises, variability in selection of load. The S.M. Bubnovsky's technique (Patent for invention 2142771 dated 14.10.92 by the application № 98120723 dated 13.11.98) is the most famous technique of restoration of intermuscular musculoskeletal interactions. We have developed a therapeutic technique of correction of disturbances of the optimal statics and dynamics of the musculoskeletal system in young and middle-aged persons with dorsopathy using crossover in the context of reduction of the gravitational axial loading of the spine.

Our technique is distinguished by the fact that exercises are conducted in several stages in the state of reduction of the gravitational loading of the spine and the stretching component along straight and diagonal muscle chains [1, 5], is used during exercises which is assumed to be the best way to restore the disturbed intermuscular interactions.

Posturological indicators, in particular the indicators obtained using a stabilometric study, are among the most sensitive diagnostic markers of such disorders [2, 3, 4]. This research was organized and conducted for the purpose of comparative analysis of the possibility of correcting posturological disorders of young men with dorsopathy with various training techniques using crossover.

Organization of research. For this purpose 2 groups of young and middle-aged men were formed. A total of 46 men were examined: 22 men in the first group (mean age - 36.68±0.78 years old) and 24 men in the second group (mean age - 37.66±1.01 years old). Presence of severe somatic and neurological disorders was the criterion for exclusion from the groups.

In the first group a set of rehabilitation measures was carried out using crossover according to the S.M. Bubnovsky's technique. A session lasted one hour, the set consisted of 12 sessions that were held every other day 3 times a week for 6 months. The crossover sessions included a test during which physical load was calculated, and at every subsequent session the load and the technique of exercises were adjusted.

In the second group an original method of correcting disturbances of the optimal static of the musculoskeletal system of the young and middle-aged with dorsopathy of the lumbar spine (Patent № 2012153583 by application № 085194 dated 11.12.2012). The one-hour sessions were held every other day with load increasing from the first stage to the third for 6 months.

To assess the effectiveness of the rehabilitation activities the instrumental method of studying statokinetic stability - stabilometry - was used with the help of the «Statokinesimeter - StabilAn» analyzer. The Romberg test is used to determine the position of the projection of the common center of pressure (CCP) onto the plane of support and its fluctuations, displacements to the right, left, forward or backward, and helps evaluate the load on the various parts of the musculoskeletal system, the lower extremities and the spine. The technique consists of two tests - with the eyes open and closed. It is the major one in the examination in order to control the dynamics of the restoration of locomotor disturbances. The «Triangle» test used to evaluate short-term motor memory consists of two stages: training and analysis. During the training stage the patient should study motion paths with the help of markers. At the stage of analysis he is to reproduce the motion path without the auxiliary markers. To monitor the effectiveness of the recreational activities undertaken we examined the following parameters: Romberg coefficient; mean lateral displacement of the triangle; mean sagittal displacement of the triangle.

The statistical processing of the Romberg coefficient was performed using a nonparametric method - a sign test, as standard indicators of this parameter vary within a wide range of 100% - 250%. The Student’s t-test was used for statistical processing of the other indicators.

Results and discussion. Analysis of the results indicates that the Romberg coefficient characterizing the relationship between visual and proprioceptive systems [4] has not changed in the first group (Z>Z0.5), whereas in the second group that had sessions in accordance with the proprietary technique the indicators improved with a high degree of significance (Z<Z0.1) (Table 1). It must be due to the technique uses additional muscles stretching along kinematic chains, increasing the motor-visceral interactions.

Table 1. Dynamics of changes in the Romberg coefficient in both groups of men

The indicators of the neuromuscular interactions also indicate that motor memory have been improved significantly thanks to the sessions held in the second group of men (Table 2). We believe, this is due to the combination of reduction of the gravitational axial loading on the spine with the increase of the traction component along the kinematic chains that is characteristic of the proprietary technique.

Table 2. Results of motor memory study («Triangle» test) in both groups of men

Conclusion. Thus, analysis of the results of stabilometry indicates with a high degree of significance that the use of the proprietary technique of crossover exercises while reducing gravitational axial loading on the spine and stretching along the straight and diagonal muscle chains intended to correct proprioreception motor memory disturbances in middle-aged men with dorsopathy effectively optimizes the functional state of the statokinetic system.

This must be due to the fact that the proprietary technique not only strengthens the muscular system but also stimulates the restoration of intermuscular interactions, proprioreception and motor-visceral interactions.

References

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2. Isaev, A.P. Diagnosis of motor actions using computer stabilography in subjects involved in sports orienteering / A.P. Isaev, A.V. Nenasheva, E.E. Mamatov et al. // Vestnik Yuzhno-Ural'skogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta, series Education, public health, physical culture. – 2013. – V. 13, № 2. – P. 10–15. (In Russian)
3. Romanov, Yu.N. The study of the indices of ballistogram and spectral analysis of kickboxers at computer stabilometry / Yu.N. Romanov, L.A. Romanova, G.R. Batyrshina // Vestnik Yuzhno-Ural'skogo gosudarstvennogo universiteta, series Education, public health, physical culture. – 2012. – № 28 (287), Iss. 32. – P. 44–47. (In Russian)
4. Skvortsov, D.V. Stabilometric research: a brief guide. – Мoscow: Maska, 2010. – 174 P. (In Russian)
5. Thomas Myers Anatomy trains / Thomas Myers – Publ. h-se: Harcourt Publishers Limited, 2007. – 289 P. (In Russian)

Corresponding author: isaeva-susu@yandex.ru