Effects of a Physiotherapy Exercise Program to Change Spinal Movement and Reduce Low Back Pain in Schoolboy Rowers

An individual exercise program will be formed and implemented based on the impairments identified in the interview and physical examination. The intervention program will address the individuals’ impairments and aim to train control of the lumbar lordosis during sitting, squatting and rowing, with progressions to improve the strength and endurance of the lower limb and back muscles during these tasks with increased load and endurance demands. Subsequent to the initial examination each subject in the intervention group will receive 4 physiotherapy sessions, with a review at 1, 3, 5 and 7 weeks following the initial session to monitor adherence and understanding of the exercise program and to progress the exercises. The subjects will be asked to complete these exercises over a 12 week period. All exercise programs prescribed to the rowers will be written on a sheet of paper with diagrammatic representation and a brief explanation of the exercises. The rowers will be told to perform the prescribed exercises daily throughout the course of the rowing season. Rowers will also be asked to fill in a compliance sheet to indicate the level of adherence to the program. All assessments and interventions will be carried out in a private physiotherapy practice in Perth, and will be provided by a physiotherapist with post-graduate qualification and experience in a previous intervention research in adolescent female rowers.