Effectiveness of Modified Plank vs Conventional Plank on Core Muscle Endurance and Stability in Recreational Athletes: A Quasi-Experimental study

Abstract

Introduction: The core muscle plays a major role in providing stability. Several studies have been conducted to identify the activation of core muscle in variety of planking methods but the effects of modified planking in core strengthening program is vaguely studied. Aim: This study aimed to compare the modified plank with conventional plank and to identify which mode of planking was more superior in training for endurance and dynamic stability of core muscle. Materials and Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-test-post-test study design was conducted for a total duration of 6 weeks and 32 subjects were assigned into two groups: Experimental group (Body Saw Plank) and Control group (conventional plank). A pretest and post-test of core endurance and dynamic stability were measured by using McGill Torso Muscular Endurance Test and Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT). A paired sample t-test was used to identify a significant difference between pre-test result and posttest result within the same group. Furthermore, an independent t-test was used to determine the significant difference between the post-test on the subject’s core endurance and dynamic stability between the control group and experimental group. Results: A total of 32 subjects were selected, with a mean age of 20.63±1.6, of which 14 were males and 18 were females, with mean height, mean weight and mean BMI were 164.70±7.74, 57.26±8.57 and 21.02±2.36 respectively. After 6 weeks of intervention, there was a significant difference between the pre-test and post-test of McGill Torso Muscular Endurance Test. However, comparison of post-test between groups of the McGill Torso Muscular Endurance Test shows no significant difference. On the other hand, both groups also show significant differences between the pre-test and post-test on SEBT. However, comparison between the post-test of the control group and experimental group has no significant differences in normalised reach distance and composite score. Conclusion: The findings proved that both body saw plank and conventional plank effectively enhances core muscle endurance and also dynamic stability equally.

Keywords

• body saw plank
• core endurance
• core strengthening
• dynamic balance