The effects of t’ai chi on muscle activity, pain, and balance in females in their 20s with acute low back pain

[Purpose] This study was conducted in order to examine the effects of t'ai chi on females in their 20s with acute low back pain. The subjects were 30 females in their 20s with acute low back pain. [Subjects and Methods] They were equally and randomly divided into a t'ai chi group and a stretching group. The intervention was applied three times per week, one hour each time, for a total of eight weeks. During the one hour, the subjects conducted warm-up exercises for 10 min, primary exercises for 40 min, and cool-down exercises for 10 min. In order to examine changes in low back pain in the patients according to the intervention method, muscle activity, pain, and balance elements (left and right side movement distance, forward and backward movement distance) were measured. [Results] Muscle activity and the visual analog scale score significantly decreased in both the t'ai chi group and the stretching group. Regarding changes in balance elements, the t'ai chi group's left and right side movement distance decreased, which was statistically significant. However, the t'ai chi group's forward and backward movement distance and the stretching group's forward and backward movement distance and left and right side movement distance did not change. [Conclusion] According to the results of this study, t'ai chi is considered an appropriate exercise program to reduce acute low back pain in females in their 20s. This is because when compared with stretching, it enables posture maintenance with lesser force due to decreased muscle activity, it is more helpful for improvements in balance ability, and it is effective in decreasing pain.