Effect of modified leg-raising exercise on the pain and pelvic angle of a patient with back pain and excessive lordosis

Abstract

[Purpose] This study developed a modified active leg-raising exercise to decrease lumbar lordosis and assessed its effectiveness in a patient with low back pain and excessive lumbar lordosis. [Subject and Methods] The subject was a 56-year-old woman with excessive lordosis, who complained of continuous severe LBP pain at the L5 level for 1 year. The subject performed the modified active leg-raising exercise while flexing the neck. She performed the modified active leg-raising exercises for 2 weeks, performing three sets of 30 repetitions per day. [Results] The patient’s anterior pelvic tilt angle decreased from 20° and 23° to 16° and 17° on the right and left sides, respectively. In backward trunk extension, the VAS score of her back pain decreased to 4 (from the initial score 8). [Conclusion] This result suggests that the modified leg-raising combined with neck flexion helped to recovery the pelvic posture and back pain. The subject could also easily fix her pelvis and avoid moving her lower trunk while exercising.