The Effect of a Therapeutic Training Program Based on Resistance Exercises Using the Peak Contraction Method on Restoring Functional Efficiency in Patients with First-Degree Spondylolisthesis

Abstract

The search for effective and safe therapeutic approaches represents an urgent necessity to restore patients to a functional level that enables them to perform their daily activities, particularly when the injury is mild and classified as first-degree. Therefore, the importance of this study lies in employing a therapeutic training program based on resistance exercises using the peak contraction method, which may contribute to alleviating pain, preventing the progression of injury, and enhancing patients’ ability to regain activity in the shortest possible time.

The study aimed to investigate the effect of a therapeutic training program based on resistance exercises with peak contraction on restoring functional efficiency in individuals with first-degree spondylolisthesis. The researcher employed the experimental method with a one-group design. Under medical supervision, all participants were diagnosed with spondylolisthesis using MRI at the German Hospital in Al-Najaf Al-Ashraf. Out of a population of 12 patients, 7 athletes diagnosed with first-degree spondylolisthesis were purposefully selected as the study sample, aged between 30–38 years. The remaining participants were excluded due to differences in injury grade, type, or age.

The study variables focused on muscular strength, assessed through five tests: deadlift, lat pulldown, pull-up, leg raise from supine position, and sit-up from extended legs. Pre- and post-tests were conducted, and data were statistically analyzed, presented, and discussed. The findings revealed that the therapeutic training program based on resistance exercises with peak contraction had a significant effect across all muscular strength tests, indicating the program’s effectiveness in improving the strength of muscles involved in spondylolisthesis rehabilitation.

The researcher recommends adopting the peak contraction method in strengthening back muscles during rehabilitation of first- and second-degree spondylolisthesis, as it combines static and dynamic contraction, ensures safety by minimizing spinal pressure, and proves to be one of the most effective approaches.