Francisco Jose Vera-Garcia

• Biomechanic PhD
• Head of Faculty at Miguel Hernández University of Elche

Background and objectives: Although different variations of the Pallof press exercise are commonly performed in sports and fitness settings to increase core stability, the intensity/difficulty of these variations is unknown and therefore it is difficult to control the training load and establish exercise progressions. This study aimed to compare an...

Although different variations of the Pallof press exercise are commonly performed in sport and fitness settings to increase core stability, the intensity/difficulty of these variations is unknown and therefore it is difficult to control the training load and establish exercise progressions. This study aimed to compare and rank the postural control...

Objectives Determine if (a) a better trunk stability and endurance are associated with an improved whole‐body dynamic balance, and if (b) the assessment tests can be interchanged within each capability. Methods Sixty‐three physically active young males performed three trunk stability (i.e., the lumbopelvic stability, the unstable sitting and the s...

Introduction Sitting on an unstable surface is a common paradigm to investigate trunk postural control among individuals with low back pain (LBP), by minimizing the influence lower extremities on balance control. Outcomes of many small studies are inconsistent (e.g., some find differences between groups while others do not), potentially due to conf...

Background: Body tilt changes could affect the intensity/difficulty of core stability exercises, but there is still a lack of knowledge about its impact. Objective: To analyse the trunk muscles activation during prone plank exercises at different body tilts. Methods: Twenty-four young adults who performed recreational gymnastic activities part...

Heredia-Elvar, JR, Juan-Recio, C, Prat-Luri, A, Barbado, D, Ríos-Calonge, Jdl, and Vera-Garcia, FJ. Exercise intensity progressions and criteria to prescribe core stability exercises in young physically active men: a smartphone accelerometer-based study. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000–000, 2023—The establishment of core stability (CS) exercise inte...

An accurate trunk muscle strength assessment seems very important to design and individualize training and rehabilitation programs in clinical and sport settings. Hand-held dynamometers (HHDs) are interesting alternatives to isokinetic dynamometers for assessing trunk isometric muscle strength because they are inexpensive instruments and easy to us...

Background: Core stability exercise programs have become popular in recent years for preserving balance and functional independence in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS); however, their real impact is not well-known as the main intervention target (i.e., core stability) theoretically responsible for balance or functional improvements is not mea...

OBJECTIVE: To analyze the effect of trunkfocused exercise programs (TEPs) and moderator factors on chronic nonspecific low back pain (LBP). DESIGN: Systematic review with meta-analyses. LITERATURE SEARCH: We searched the PubMed, Scopus, Embase, SPORTDiscus, and CENTRAL databases from their inception to June 2022. STUDY SELECTION CRITERIA: We includ...

Simple Summary Although the side bridge test has been widely used for assessing trunk lateral flexor endurance in sport, clinical, and scientific settings, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no study has analyzed its validity and reliability in an only female population. The surface electromyography of eight abdominal, back, shoulder and hip mu...

The lack of training load control, mainly exercise intensity, is one of the main limitations of core stability (CS) programs, which makes the training individualization and the analysis of the dose-response relationship difficult. The objectives of this study were to assess the inter-and intra-rater agreement when using new observational screening...

Investigations into the sensitivity of heart rate‐ (HR) derived indices for tracking parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) changes in functionally overreached (F‐OR) endurance‐trained athletes have produced equivocal findings. Lack of clarity may be a result of methodological inconsistencies. Therefore, the aims of this systematic review and meta‐an...

Objective: Research on muscle performance testing reliability in people with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) has focused on limb performance while less is known about trunk strength and endurance. The objective is to 1) establish test-retest reliability of Trunk Flexion, Lateral Flexion and Extension strength tests, and Plank, Side-Bridge and Biering-So...

The aim of this systematic review is to analyze how, after additional trunk-focused training programs (ATEP), motor recovery after a stroke is modulated by potential effect modifiers. Twenty randomized controlled studies that carried out ATEP were included. Results showed moderate-to-high effects in favor of ATEP for trunk function, balance ability...

Disability progression is a prominent feature of multiple sclerosis (MS). However, little is known about the extent to which physical condition parameters and perceived fatigue evolve during the disease. We analyzed how strength, balance, core stability and perceived fatigue differ among different cohorts of people with MS (PwMS) with different dis...

This meta-analysis aimed to estimate the inter- and intra-tester reliability of endurance measures obtained through trunk extension field-based tests and to explore the influence of the moderators on the reliability estimates. The reliability induction rate of trunk extension endurance measures was also calculated. A systematic search was conducted...

PurposeThe effects of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) on parasympathetic modulation are controversial. This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to (a) determine the effect of exercise-based CR on heart-rate-derived indices associated with cardiac parasympathetic modulation in resting and post-exercise conditions in coronary artery d...

Purpose: The intensity progression of core stabilization exercises (CSEs) is usually based on personal criteria rather than on objective parameters. To develop exercise progressions for four of the most common CSEs based on the postural control challenge imposed on the participants, and to analyze the effect of participants’ sex and postural contro...

Trunk function is a core factor to allocate Boccia players with cerebral palsy in BC1 and BC2 sport classes, according to the Boccia International Sports Federation (BISFed). However, the appropriateness of the current test to assess trunk function has never been studied to determine its reliability, validity and sensitivity to discriminate between...

Purpose The purpose of this study was to analyse the relationship between several parameters of neuromuscular performance with dynamic postural control using a Bayesian Network Classifiers (BN) based analysis. Methods The y-balance test (measure of dynamic postural control), isokinetic (concentric and eccentric) knee flexion and extension strength...

Objective We performed a systematic review and meta-analysis of epidemiological data of injuries in professional male football. Method Forty-four studies have reported the incidence of injuries in football. Two reviewers independently extracted data and assessed trial quality using the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epid...

Hamstring strain injury (HSI) is one of the most prevalent and severe injury in professional soccer. The purpose was to analyze and compare the predictive ability of a range of machine learning techniques to select the best performing injury risk factor model to identify professional soccer players at high risk of HSIs. A total of 96 male professio...

Although core stability (CS) has been assessed through many different tests, the relationships among them are currently unknown. The main objective was to analyse the relationship between five representative tests used to assess CS in: i) laboratory settings: Sudden Loading Test (SLT) and Stable and Unstable Sitting Test (SUST); ii) field settings:...

Background and method: This meta-analysis sought to: quantify the effects of isometric resistance training (IRT) on the magnitude of change in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), mean arterial pressure (MAP) and resting heart rate in adults; and examine whether the magnitude of change in SBP, DBP, MAP and heart rate was...

BACKGROUND: Although low back pain (LBP) is known to be multi-factorial, certain studies have suggested that a deficit in hip extension and rotation range of motion (ROM) may be associated with LBP in athletes. OBJETIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare hip extension and rotation ROMs in elite tennis players with and without a history of LB...

Although core stability (CS) training is largely used to enhance motor performance and prevent musculoskeletal injuries, the lack of methods to quantify CS training intensity hinders the design of CS programs and the comparison and generalization of their effects. The aim of this study was to analyze the reliability of accelerometers integrated int...

The same core stability isometric exercise elicits different pelvis acceleration in two individuals. The individuals in this manuscript have given written informed consent (as outlined in PLOS consent form) to publish these case details. (MP4)

Different core stability isometric exercises elicit similar pelvis acceleration in two individuals. The individuals in this manuscript have given written informed consent (as outlined in PLOS consent form) to publish these case details. (MP4)

Objective: Our aim is to analyze the effects of 12 weeks of functional training with and without core exercises on core functional and performance indicators. Method: This is a three-arm randomized controlled trial, which will take place over 12 weeks. Participants will be randomly grouped into three training programs, namely: functional training g...

Trunk control (TC) impairment is a typical feature in individuals with cerebral palsy (CP), but there are lack of methods that allow to quantify the extent to which static and dynamic TC is impaired in adults with moderate-to-severe CP. Thus, the aims of this study were to analyze the reliability of a posturography protocol to assess TC in adults w...

Background: Postural control has been associated with the functional impairment in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). However, there is a need for reliable methods to assess postural control in early stages of the disease, when subtle changes can be difficult to detect. The aims of this study were to assess the absolute and relative reliabili...

Purpose: To analyse the relationship between several parameters of neuromuscular performance with unilateral dynamic balance measured through the Y-Balance test, as well as to determine the possible sex-related differences. Methods: The Y-Balance test, isokinetic (concentric and eccentric) knee flexion and extension strength, isometric hip abduc...

Background: Injuries are a major adverse event in a tennis player's career. Reducing injury requires a thorough knowledge of the epidemiology of tennis injuries. The aim of this study was to report the incidence and conditions of musculoskeletal injuries in elite tennis players. Methods: The medical staff of 162 tennis players recorded the type...

Background: Although the Star Excursion Balance test (SEBT) has shown a good intra-session reliability the inter-session reliability of this test has not been deeply studied. Furthermore, there is an evident high influence of the lower-limbs in the performance of the SEBT so even if it has been used to measure core stability it is possibly not the...

Background: Glenohumeral internal rotation deficit and external rotation strength have been associated with the development of shoulder pain in overhead athletes. Objective: To examine the bilateral passive shoulder rotational range of motion (ROM), the isometric rotational strength and unilateral serve speed in elite tennis players with and wit...

Introduction: The application of contemporary statistical approaches coming from Machine Learning and Data Mining environments to build more robust predictive models to identify athletes at high risk of injury might support injury prevention strategies of the future. Purpose: The purpose was to analyse and compare the behaviour of numerous machi...

Background: Limited ranges of motion (ROM) have been considered as a primary risk factor for some football injuries, but only a few studies have analysed differences in lower extremity joints. The main purposes were (a) to describe the lower extremity ROM profile in professional football players; and (b) to examine differences between goalkeepers...

La nutrición en la actividad física y el deporte adquiere una importancia enorme desde los aspectos preventivos de déficits, así como de necesidades de nutrientes en los diferentes tipos de deporte. El seguimiento de pautas nutricionales adecuadas es fundamental para mantener y mejorar el rendimiento deportivo y la salud. Otro campo de la nutrición...

Background: The selection and validation of age- and gender-specific criterion-referenced cut-points for abdominal endurance are still unclear. Objective: To stablish normative values for abdominal endurance in adolescents by age and gender using the Bench Trunk Curl-up Test (BTC). Additionally, the reliability of the BTC was analyzed. Methods:...

While most trunk endurance field protocols are performed in the sagittal or frontal planes, the flexion-rotation trunk (FRT) test combines trunk flexion with rotation, which may be relevant to rotation-related sports. The aim of this study was to describe the trunk and hip muscle activation and fatigue and the range of hip flexion of this test. Twe...

Background: Despite the high groin-injury (GI) prevalence in tennis, no studies have assessed the extent to which intrinsic groin injury risk factors, such as hip muscle strength, have recovered in elite tennis players with a history of previous GI. Objective: To investigate whether elite tennis players with a history of GI show differences in h...

Recent studies show that motor variability is actively regulated as an exploration tool to promote learning in reward-based tasks. However, its role in learning processes during error-based tasks, when a reduction of the motor variability is required to achieve good performance, is still unclear. In this study, we hypothesized that error-based lear...

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the reliability and the learning effect of an isokinetic trunk flexion-extension protocol designed to simultaneously assess trunk muscle strength and endurance. In addition, the effect of the participants' sex on the reliability data was examined. Methods: Fifty-seven healthy and physically activ...

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Background: Although unstable seat methodology has been used to assess trunk postural control, the reliability of the variables that characterize it remains unclear. Objective: To analyze reliability and learning effect of center of pressure (COP) and kinematic parameters that characterize trunk postural control performance in unstable seating....

ABSTRACT Introduction: Ankle sprains are injuries that commonly occur during physical activity. They constitute between 15-75% of all sport injuries, and they can develop into chronic ankle instability (CAI) and functional disability. Subjects with CAI have exhibited diminished dynamic balance and weakness in the hip abductor muscles. Therefore, th...

Trunk/core stability is considered a key component of training programs, because it could contribute to prevention of low-back and lower-limb injuries and to sports performance. Based on the specificity principle, sports-related trunk stability tests would be required in elite sports performance. However, there may be some generic qualities underly...

Although trunk muscle function has been suggested to be a determinant of judo performance, its contribution to high-level performance in this sport has been poorly studied. Therefore, several tests were used to assess the differences in trunk muscle function between 11 international and 14 national level judo practitioners (judokas). Trunk strength...

Raw data of all variables analysed in this study. (XLSX)

Un adecuado control postural es considerado fundamental para la realización de muchas actividades de la vida diaria, especialmente en la población femenina ya que es más susceptible de padecer enfermedades degenerativas, como la osteoporosis, que pueden afectar al control postural. La estabilidad y la fuerza del tronco son factores que podrían tene...

Los problemas en el control del equilibrio corporal incrementan de manera importante la probabilidad de caídas en las personas mayores. Diversos autores sugieren que el desarrollo de la capacidad de estabilización del tronco y de la fuerza de la musculatura de la cadera podrían ayudar a mejorar el equilibrio corporal. No obstante, existen pocas evi...

Despite the large number of studies that have examined the acute effects of different warm up modalities (WU) on physical performance, none of them have documented the time course of potential performance recovery in tennis players. The aim of this study was twofold: (a) to analyze and compare the acute effects of two different WU modalities (tradi...

Objective: To describe the range of motion (ROM) profile (flexion, extension, abduction, internal and external rotation) of the hip in elite tennis players; and (b) to analyse if there are sex-related differences in the hip ROM. Design: Cohort study. Setting: Controlled laboratory environment. Participants: 81 male and 28 female tennis playe...

Background & Study Aim: As any martial art, taekwondo can be classified as a specialty that requires high technical skills, such as a fine motor control both in static and dynamic conditions. Practitioners predominantly use kicks with high amplitude in both combat and technique (poomse) modalities. The aim of this study was the knowledge about trun...

El objetivo de este trabajo fue revisar las características de los métodos utilizados para valorar la estabilidad de la zona central del cuerpo (core stability), así como las características más importantes de los programas de ejercicios de estabilización del tronco. Los resultados de la revisión indican que métodos biomecánicos, como la aplicación...

The aim of this study was to review both the characteristics of the tests used to assess core stability and the most important features of trunk stabilization exercise programs. The results of this review suggest that biomechanical methods such as sudden and controlled trunk loading and unloading, unstable sitting paradigm and mathematical modeling...

Los problemas en el control del equilibrio corporal incrementan de manera importante la probabilidad de caídas en personas mayores. Varios autores sugieren que una adecuada capacidad de estabilización del tronco, así como altos niveles de fuerza de su musculatura podrían incrementar el equilibrio corporal, lo cual podría ser beneficioso para dismin...

In this work we present a scientific literature review on core stability with the aim of clarifying the meaning of this concept and its relation with sport performance and injury. The results of this review show that the use of the term core stability is ambiguous, as there is a great terminological confusion in both scientific literature and profe...

Trunk exercise speed has significant effects on neuro-mechanical demands; however, the influence of a variety of exercise speeds on motor control of the trunk displacement remains unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the effect of performance speed on trunk motion control during the curl-up exercise by analyzing the kinematic variance about...

Despite core exercise programs are broadly used to increase muscle function and to promote low back health, there is a lack of scientific evidence on some of the most important characteristics of trunk exercise programs, as for example training frequency. This study aimed to compare the short-term effect of training frequencies of 1, 2 and 3 days p...

A glenohumeral internal rotation deficit of the dominant shoulder relative to the non-dominant shoulder (GIRD) is considered a risk factor for shoulder injury in overhead athletes. The aim of this study was to investigate whether professional tennis players with a history of self-reported shoulder pain show differences in rotation range of motion (...

El Biering-Sorensen test (BST), el Side Bridge test (SBT) y el Ito test (IT) son tres de los test de campo más utilizados para medir la resistencia de los músculos del tronco. El objetivo de este estudio fue analizar la fiabilidad absoluta y relativa de los test referidos, así como valorar el efecto de la antropometría de los participantes en el re...

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5007/1980-0037.2014v16n2p200 The aim of this study was to analyze the trunk muscular response during different variations of some of the most popular stabilization exercises: front-bridge, back-bridge, side-bridge, and bird-dog. Surface electromyography was bilaterally re-corded from rectus abdominis, external and interna...

The Biering-Sorensen Test (BST), the Side Bridge Test (SBT) and the Ito Test (IT) are three of the most widely used field tests to measure the strength of the trunk muscles. The aim of this study was to analyse the absolute and relative reliability of these tests and evaluate the effect of the anthropometry of the participants on test performance....

The objective of this study was to analyze trunk and shoulder muscle activation and lumbar spine kinematics of backward and forward phases during both isolated medicine-ball side throws, and medicine-ball side catch and throw sequences. Thirteen recreationally trained men performed three isolated medicine-ball side throws with 1 min rest between re...

p> Background: It is theorized that the development of the ability to stabilize the trunk may improve the performance of a judoka because it improves body balance control and optimizes force transmission from the lower extremities to the upper limbs. However, there is a lack of scientific evidence to establish a clear relationship between trunk sta...

The aim of this study was to analyze the trunk muscle coactivation during spine stabilization exercises. The electromyography of rectus abdominis, external and internal oblique and erector spinae was recorded while performing the back bridge, the front bridge and the right and left side bridge exercises. The muscular activation levels needed to sta...

Abstract The influence of speed on trunk exercise technique is poorly understood. The aim of this study was to analyse the effect of movement speed on the kinematics and kinetics of curl-up, sit-up and leg raising/lowering exercises. Seventeen healthy, recreationally trained individuals (13 females and 4 males) volunteered to participate in this st...

Las lesiones en la musculatura isquiosural son frecuentes en el fútbol profesional y han sido relacionadas con el desequilibrio entre la fuerza de los flexores y extensores de rodilla. El objetivo de nuestro estudio fue comprobar si la ratio de fuerza máxima excéntrica de flexores/concéntrica de extensores (ratio Flexexc30/Extcon240) y el ángulo de...

Active range of motion trials are frequently used as a baseline for normalizing other data. However, previous research has not focused on methods utilized to achieve maximum active range of motion. Twenty-seven males (age 20-38 years) participated in this study. Active hip extension in upright standing was compared to active lumbar extension with r...

Brotons-Gil, E, García-Vaquero, MP, Peco-González, N, and Vera-Garcia, FJ. Flexion-rotation trunk test to assess abdominal muscle endurance: Reliability, learning effect, and sex differences. J Strength Cond Res 27(6): 1602–1608, 2013—Trunk endurance tests are generally performed in sagittal or frontal plane. However, trunk field tests that measure...

RESUMEN Si bien el paradigma del asiento inestable ha sido utilizado con éxito para valorar la estabilidad del tronco en poblaciones patológicas, éste no ha sido utilizado para estudiar la influencia de la práctica deportiva sobre la estabilización activa del tronco (EAT). El objetivo del estudio fue analizar el efecto de la especialización deporti...

The purpose of this study was to analyze the electromyography of rectus, external and internal oblique, erector spinae and biceps femoris of 10 men and 10 women while performing isometric crunches on a board in different positions: horizontal (0 degrees), inclined 10 degrees with the head at the bottom (-10 degrees) and at the top of the bench (+10...

Studies about the relationship between complexity and performance in upright standing balance have yielded mixed results and interpretations. The aim of the present study was to assess how the increasing difficulty in standing balance task affects performance and the complexity of postural sway and neuromuscular activation. Thirty-two young healthy...

Whole-body vibration exercise have been widely used during the last two decades, with most scientific publications reporting various positive effects. Most commonly, squat exercises have been studied. Instead, this study explored the rectus abdominis activity and the transmission of sinusoidal vibration to the human body during the performance of f...

Efectos de un entrenamiento vibratorio sobre la actividad del rectus abdominis y sobre la transmisión de aceleraciones durante la realización de un puente frontal Effects of whole body vibration on rectus abdominis activity and transmission of accelerations during a front bridge exercise Durante las dos últimas décadas se ha incrementado notablemen...

The aim of this study was to compare trunk muscular recruitment and lumbar spine kinematics when motion was constrained to either the thorax or the pelvis. Nine healthy women performed four upright standing planar movements (rotations, anterior-posterior translations, medial-lateral translations, and horizontal circles) while constraining pelvis mo...

p class="resumenyabstract" align="justify">The aims were to describe the behavior of the subtalar joint and foot in the race walk, and seek for correlations between them and the footprint. 12 race walkers participated in the study. The arch index was calculated on their footprints. Plantar pressures were measured and 3D photogrammetry used on a sin...

Objective To determine the effects of repeated hamstring stretching on the muscle activation pattern of the erector spinae during trunk flexion and extension movements.

Objective To analyze the immediate effect of the application of Kinesio Tape (KT) on reflex response of biceps femoris and gastrocnemius lateralis subject to a sudden and unexpected perturbation applied to the knee by means of a technique known as quick release.

To compare trunk muscle activation patterns and trunk kinematics when using an oscillating blade in standing and unsupported sitting postures, and with different orientations of the blade. A cross-sectional survey of trunk muscle activities and lumbar motion. Biomechanics research laboratory. Healthy men (N=13). An oscillating blade was held with 2...

Normalization of the surface electromyogram (EMG) addresses some of the inherent inter-subject and inter-muscular variability of this signal to enable comparison between muscles and people. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of several maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVC) strategies, and identify maximum electromyograp...

The purpose of this article is to synthesize the literature on studies that investigate electromyographic activity of abdominal muscles during abdominal exercises performance. MEDLINE and Sportdiscus databases were searched, as well as the Web pages of electronic journals access, ScienceDirect, and Swetswise, from 1950 to 2008. The terms used to se...

Previous studies analyzing neuromuscular independence of the abdominal wall have involved a participant population with no specific training in separating individual muscle segments. We chose to study nine women trained in the art of middle-eastern dance, anticipating they may have unique skills in motor control. Specifically, we were searching for...

Although exercise speed is an acute variable to prescribe abdominal strengthening programs, current literature lacks studies analyzing the influence of speed on muscular activation in abdominal exercises. The aim of this work was to determine the influence of trunk curl-up speed on the amplitude of muscular activation and the way in which the trunk...

The aim of the paper was to analyze the relationship between footprint arch index and subtalar joint movement in race walkers. Thirteen young, highly skilled race walkers volunteered to participate. We obtained dominant-foot footprints in a bipedal stance. The arch index was measured to classify arch height. We also conducted a photogrammetric vide...

The aims were to describe the behavior of the subtalar joint and foot in the race walk, and seek for correlations between them and the footprint. 12 race walkers participated in the study. The arch index was calculated on their footprints. Plantar pressures were measured and 3D photogrammetry used on a single support while they race walked at their...