Abstract

ASSESSMENT OF CORE MUSCLE ENDURANCE IN ASYMPTOMATIC COLLEGE STUDENTS WITH POSTERIOR CHAIN TIGHTNESS

Dr. Misbah Banu Khan*, Dr. Pooja Rathod

Abstract

Background: College students have seen to adapt a flexed posture combining sitting and bending while studying for long hours in a static posture, attending lectures, and commuting to college through public transport on a daily basis. The demanding academic activities in the curriculum of college students which includes physiotherapy students as well make them more susceptible to various musculoskeletal injuries. This may affect the relationship between posterior chain flexibility and core endurance. Methods: Total 107 asymptomatic physiotherapy students aged between 19-22 years participated and were screened for posterior chain tightness using the Toe Touch Test, a reliable measure of combined trunk–hip flexion. Core endurance was evaluated using the McGill Core Endurance Test, which assesses anterior, lateral, and posterior trunk musculature through four standardized isometric holds. Flexibility and endurance outcomes were analysed to determine their potential association. Results: The study results showed that participants with posterior chain tightness had reduced core endurance across specific components of the McGill test, suggesting a link between limitations in mobility of posterior chain and reduced ability of core musculature to sustain prolonged static effort. Conclusion: The observed clinical findings support the collaborative effort of flexibility and core-strengthening training strategies into preventive health programs within physiotherapy curriculum. This study enables a sense of awareness, precautionary and protective measures that should be taken in order to minimize the musculoskeletal risks and improve functional performance in physiotherapy students preparing for future professional practise.

Keywords: Posterior muscle chain tightness, Core endurance, Physiotherapy, McGill test, Toe Touch Test.