Physical Therapy in Sport 15 (2014) 58e63

Contents lists available at SciVerse ScienceDirect

Physical Therapy in Sport

journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/ptsp

Original research

Sport-specific endurance plank test for evaluation of global core

muscle function
Tom K. Tong a, *, Shing Wu a, Jinlei Nie b
a
Dr. Stephen Hui Research Centre for Physical Recreation and Wellness, Department of Physical Education, Hong Kong Baptist University, Hong Kong, China
b
School of Physical Education and Sports, Macao Polytechnic Institute, Macao, China

a r t i c l e i n f o a b s t r a c t

Article history: Objective: To examine the validity and reliability of a sports-specific endurance plank test for the eval-
Received 6 June 2012 uation of global core muscle function.
Received in revised form Design: Repeated-measures study.
28 February 2013
Setting: Laboratory environment.
Accepted 15 March 2013
Participants: Twenty-eight male and eight female young athletes.
Main outcome measures: Surface electromyography (sEMG) of selected trunk flexors and extensors, and
Keywords:
an intervention of pre-fatigue core workout were applied for test validation. Intraclass correlation co-
Sport
Core muscle
efficient (ICC), coefficient of variation (CV), and the measurement bias ratio */O ratio limits of agreement
Plank test (LOA) were calculated to assess reliability and measurement error.
Results: Test validity was shown by the sEMG of selected core muscles, which indicated >50% increase in
muscle activation during the test; and the definite discrimination of the w30% reduction in global core
muscle endurance subsequent to a pre-fatigue core workout. For test-retest reliability, when the first
attempt of three repeated trials was considered as familiarisation, the ICC was 0.99 (95% CI: 0.98e0.99),
CV was 2.0
1.56% and the measurement bias ratio */O ratio LOA was 0.99 */O 1.07.
Conclusion: The findings suggest that the sport-specific endurance plank test is a valid, reliable and
practical method for assessing global core muscle endurance in athletes given that at least one famil-
iarisation trial takes place prior to measurement.
Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

1. Introduction referred to as all the muscles between the knee and sternum with a
focus on the abdominal region, low back and hip (Fig, 2005).
It is known that the definitions of core stability and associated As a result of awareness of the importance of core stability to
anatomy in the rehabilitation sector differ to those in the sporting sports performance, core muscle training became a routine part of
sector (Hibbs, Thompson, French, Wrigley, & Spears, 2008). In view of athletic training in most sports (Hibbs et al., 2008). For monitoring the
low back injury rehabilitation, which aims to enhance the ability of specific training, core stability field tests were usually applied due to
the lumbopelvic-hip structures and musculature for maintaining the their convenience. These tests, in general, consisted of isometric
intervertebral range of motion within a safe limit when daily activities measures of endurance and were originally designed for rehabilita-
are carried out, the musculatures of the diaphragm, abdominals, tion use (McGill, 2007). It has been shown that the core muscle load
paraspinals, gluteals, pelvic floor and hip girdle are core (Richardson, during various stability field tests depends on the joint torques
Jull, Hodges, & Hides, 1999). In a sporting environment, core stability required to hold a specific posture (McGill, Belore, Crosby, & Russell,
is defined as the ability to control the position and motion of the trunk 2010). Hence, testing results are specific and not interchangeable.
over the pelvis to allow the optimum transfer of energy from the torso This implies that those core tests established in rehabilitation settings
to extremities when performing athletic activities, which are often may not be accurate to reveal the functional capacity of the complex
composed of highly loaded movements (Kibler, Press, & Sciascia, core anatomy that is specific to dynamic athletic performance.
2006). For this specific purpose, core muscles are commonly Due to the need for a means of monitoring the development of
core muscle function in athletes, Mackenzie (2005) developed a
sport-specific core muscle test. The core test requires the athlete to
* Corresponding author. DLB642, L6, David C. Lam Bldg., Department of Physical
Education, Shaw Campus, Hong Kong Baptist University, Renfrew Rd., Kowloon
maintain a prone bridge (plank) position with their arms and legs
Tong, Hong Kong, China. Tel.: 852 3411 7770; fax: 852 3411 5756. lifted up alternatively for 15 s in each stage for eight stages, over a
E-mail address: [email protected] (T.K. Tong). total of three minutes. Core muscle function is assessed based on

1466-853X/$ e see front matter Ó 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ptsp.2013.03.003
 T.K. Tong et al. / Physical Therapy in Sport 15 (2014) 58e63 59

the number of stages completed. Advocates of this test claimed that 2.2.2. Reliability
the plank manoeuvre interspersed with the alternate raising of the For examining the reliability of the sport-specific endurance
arms and legs challenges the trunk flexors and lumbar extensors in plank test, the resting 12 male participants and the 8 female par-
a manner that is similar to that occurring in performing sports ticipants repeated the test three times on separate days. Both the
movements where the muscles are being recruited for giving core absolute and the relative measures of reliability were assessed to
stiffness to maximise the kinetic chains of upper and lower ex- determine whether the amount of measurement error fits the
tremity function (Kibler et al., 2006; Schellenberg, Lang, Chan, & analytical goals of the test (Cowley & Swensen, 2008). Prior to the
Burnham, 2007). However, this claim has not been validated, nor tests, a non-exhausted trial was undertaken to familiarise the
has the reliability of the test been established. participant with the testing protocol.
The purposes of this study were to examine the validity and All experimental and familiarisation trials were performed in an
reliability of the sports-specific core muscle test. In an attempt to air-conditioned laboratory with the temperature and relative hu-
advance the discrimination power of the test, the ceiling of the 3- midity set at 22  C and 70%, respectively. Before each trial, the
min testing time was removed. Instead, the participants were participants refrained from eating for at least two hours and from
asked to repeat the 3-min testing circuit until the maintenance of participation in strenuous physical activity for at least one day. All
the prone bridge failed. Such modification was in accordance with trials were scheduled to occur at the same time of day and were
the previous notion that core muscle endurance, rather than separated by a minimum of 3 days.
strength, is essential for trunk stability during exercise (Hibbs et al.,
2008). Furthermore, the reliability of the sport-specific endurance 2.3. Sport-specific endurance plank test
plank test in the present study was evaluated, with the position of
participants’ elbows and feet were found to be identical among Participants started the test by holding a basic plank position e a
trials, while the hip displacement during the test was limited prone bridge supported by the forearms and feet (Fig. 1). Elbows
objectively within a narrow range. were vertically below the shoulders with the forearms and fingers
extending straight forward. The neck was kept neutral so that the
2. Methods body remained straight from the head to the heels. Participants
were required to maintain the prone bridge in a good form
2.1. Participants throughout the following stages with no rest in between: (1) hold
the basic plank position for 60 s; (2) lift the right arm off the ground
28 male and 8 female participants (age: 22.4
3.7 years, height: and hold for 15 s; (3) return the right arm to the ground and lift the
168.6
5.2 cm, weight: 58.7
5.9 kg) were recruited from a left arm for 15 s; (4) return the left arm to the ground and lift the
convenient group of athletes in a university who received training in right leg for 15 s; (5) return the right leg to the ground and lift the
different sports, including long-distance running, swimming and left leg for 15 s; (6) lift both the left leg and right arm from the
team ball games for at least two years. They were trained for 2e ground and hold for 15 s; (7) return the left leg and right arm to the
3 h d1, 3e4 days wk1 in order to compete in intercollegiate and ground, and lift both the right leg and left arm off the ground for
local competitions. All athletes had no orthopaedic or cardio- 15 s; (8) return to the basic plank position for 30 s; (9) repeat the
respiratory contraindications to exercise. After being fully informed steps from (1) to (9) until the maintenance of the prone bridge
of the experimental procedures and possible discomfort associated failed.
with the exercise test, athletes gave their written consent. Ethical In this study, in regard to the sport-specific endurance plank test
approval for this study was obtained from the Committee on the Use that each participant repeated with identical body posture, the
of Human and Animal Subjects in Teaching and Research of Hong distances between the left and right elbows (medial epicondyle),
Kong Baptist University. the left and right feet (1st metatarsal), and the elbow and feet on
the left and right sides of the body were measured during the
familiarisation trial while the participant was comfortably per-
2.2. Study design forming the prone bridge basic plank position on a bench. Further,
two elastic strings of w80 cm length which were attached hori-
Evaluations of the sport-specific endurance plank test were zontally to a pair of vertical scales were placed beside the bench
conducted in two phases: validation and reliability. during the test (Fig. 1). The two strings maintained at a distance of
10 cm were adjusted up and down until a height was reached that
2.2.1. Validation was at the same level as the participant’s hip (the iliac crest was
In the present study, the validity of the test was evaluated based
on the electromyographic analysis of selected core muscles during
the test, and the acute alterations of the performance of the test
subsequent to an intervention of pre-fatigue core workout. For the
surface electromyographic (sEMG) assessment, eight of the 28 male
participants were randomly selected. The sEMG of selected core
muscles during the sport-specific endurance plank test, expressed
as a percentage of the corresponding sEMG output during
maximum voluntary isometric contraction, were analysed. For
further examination of the construct validity of the test, another
eight of the resting male participants were randomly selected. The
performance of the sport-specific endurance plank test with and
without a pre-fatigue core workout was compared. Half of the
participants performed the plank test with and then without pre-
fatigue core workout, while the others performed the tests in
reverse order. Prior to the experiments, a trial was undertaken to Fig. 1. The setting of the sport-specific endurance plank test (from the view of test
familiarise the participant with the test to exhaustion. administrator), with the subject remaining in the basic plank position, is shown.
60 T.K. Tong et al. / Physical Therapy in Sport 15 (2014) 58e63

evenly in between the two strings). This setting acted as a reference fatigue the core muscles (Abt, Smoliga, Brick, Jolly, Lephart, & Fu,
for the objective monitoring of hip displacement during the test. 2007). Further, the handgrip strength, the strength of non-active
The measured distances between elbows and feet, as well as the hip muscles in the core workout, was also assessed pre- and post-
height, remained constant in subsequent experimental trials. workout to reveal if the resultant core muscle fatigue was origi-
During the test, the test administrator sat on a chair 1 m away nated from central or peripheral factors (Ozkaplan, Rhodes, Sheel, &
from the bench with the seat height adjusted to a level so that the Taunton, 2005). The handgrip strength was measured by following
hip displacement of the participant could be monitored horizon- the protocol described previously (Adams & Beam, 2007).
tally. The participant was then asked to maintain the prone bridge
throughout the test with maximum effort. For each time that the
2.6. Statistical analysis
hip was beyond either of the reference lines, a warning would be
given. The test would be terminated when the hip failed to be
All results were expressed as mean
SD. KolmogoroveSmirnov
maintained at the required level after receiving two consecutive
normality test revealed that all the data of sEMG and plank test
warnings. The measured time to exhaustion was used to reveal
performance were normally distributed.
the endurance capacity of the global core muscle of the
participant.
2.6.1. Validation
The differences in muscle activity level (%MVIC) among stages 1,
2.4. Surface electromyographic (sEMG) measurements
2, 4, 6 and 8 during the first circuit of the specific plank test were
examined for each selected muscle by using one-way ANOVA with
For test validation, sEMG data from rectus abdominis (RA),
repeated measurements. Paired sample t-test was used to evaluate
external oblique abdominis (EO) and erector spinae (ES) on the
the change in the endurance performance of the specific plank test
right side of the body were collected during the sport-specific
and handgrip strength with pre-fatigue core workout.
endurance plank test. The locations of electrode placement were
in accordance with those previously described (Cram & Kasman,
2.6.2. Reliability
1998). For the RA, a pair of electrodes was placed 3 cm lateral to
One-way ANOVA with repeated measurements was applied for
the umbilicus. For EO and ES, the paired electrodes were placed
examining the presence of systematic bias among the trials. The
midway between the anterior superior iliac spine and the rib cage,
relative reliability of the test was determined by a two-way random
and 2 cm lateral to the L4-L5 interspace, respectively. Prior to
effects model intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) with 95%
measurement, the sites for electrode placement were prepared by
confidence intervals. The absolute reliability was determined by
performing abrasion with fine sandpaper and cleaning with alcohol
calculating the coefficient of variation (CV) and mean bias (mean
swabs. The paired sEMG electrodes (PG-10S, FIAB SpA, Firenze,
difference between values) with 95% limits of agreement (LOA,
Italy) were then placed parallel to the muscle fibres, 7.6 cm apart.

1.96  SD of differences between values). Due to the presence of
During the test, EMG data of the selected muscle groups were
heteroscedasticity in the data, the variables were logarithmically
collected synchronously using the BTS FREEEMG 300 system (BTS,
transformed prior to calculations of the measurement bias ratio
MI, Italy). The system was interfaced with a computer, and Myolab
*/O ratio LOA.
2.2 software (BTS, MI, Italy) was used for data processing and
All tests for statistical significance were standardised at an alpha
analysis. The sampling rate for each channel was set at 1000 Hz.
level of P < 0.05. Post-hoc comparisons (least significance differ-
During data collection, the EMG signals were full-wave rectified,
ence) were employed when the main effects of ANOVA were
processed using a root mean squared algorithm, and smoothed
significant.
with a 100-ms moving window. Filtering of EMG signals was per-
formed using standard band-pass filtering techniques with band-
pass filters set at cut-offs of 20 Hz and 350 Hz, respectively. The 3. Results
average values of data recorded from 10th to 15th second in stage 1,
and from 5th to 10th second in stage 2e8 of each circuit during the 3.1. Validation
plank test were selected for analysis.
For normalisation, each selected muscle performed maximum 3.1.1. sEMG
voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) and the sEMG amplitude Fig. 2 is the sEMG of the RA, EO and ES of one typical subject
for the maximum manoeuvre was recorded. The activities for each recorded during the sport-specific endurance plank test. It dem-
muscle to perform MVIC against manual resistance were consistent onstrates that the selected muscles were loaded continuously
with those applied in the study of Schellenberg et al. (2007). After during the test while the loading of the muscles for holding the
familiarisation, the participant performed MVIC during each ac- basic plank position were varied with additional limb actions.
tivity for 5 s. The average values of the EMG data recorded from the Table 1 shows the %MVIC in the three selected muscles during the
2nd to 4th second during the 5-s MVIC of each muscle represented first circuit of the specific plank test at stages 1, 2, 4, 6, and 8. One-
100% muscle activity. The muscle activity recorded during the plank way ANOVA test revealed that the main effects of RA (F(4,28) ¼ 12.1),
test was expressed by %MVIC. EO (F(4,28) ¼ 9.36) and ES (F(4,28) ¼ 6.05) across the stages were
significant (P < 0.05). For all muscles, %MVIC in stage 6 and 8 were
2.5. Pre-fatigue core workout greater than those in stage 1 (P < 0.05). The values of %MVIC of all
muscles in stage 2 and 4 were also greater than those in stage 1
Each participant consecutively performed four sets of circuit with significant differences (P < 0.05) found in RA and EO in stage 4,
exercises consisting of: (1) seated upper torso rotation with a 4 kg- and in RA and ES in stage 2. The difference in ES in stage 4 and in EO
medicine ball, (2) static prone torso extension with a 4 kg-medicine in stage 2 approached significance (P ¼ 0.07). For RA and ES, the %
ball, (3) supine lower torso rotations with a 4 kg-medicine ball, (4) MVIC in stage 6 was greater than those in stage 2 and 4 (P < 0.05).
sit-ups with a 10-lb dumb-bell, (5) lateral side bend with a 10-lb The %MVIC of RA in stage 8 was also greater than that in stage 2
dumb-bell, and (6) rotating lumbar extension with a 10-lb dumb- (P < 0.05). For EO, the %MVIC in stage 6 was greater than those in
bell. The duration of each exercise was 40 s followed by a 20- stage 2 (P < 0.05), and the %MVIC in stage 8 was less than that in
s recovery. A similar exercise protocol has been shown to effectively stage 6 (P < 0.05).
 T.K. Tong et al. / Physical Therapy in Sport 15 (2014) 58e63 61

Fig. 2. Surface electromyographic recordings from the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO) and erector spinae (ES) in a representative subject throughout the sport-specific
endurance plank test are shown.

3.1.2. Pre-fatigue core workout 7.86
4.95% when trial 1 and 2 were considered while the value
Paired sample t-test revealed that the plank test performance was decreased to 2.0
1.56% when the last two trials were counted.
reduced significantly with pre-fatigue core workout (260.6
89.8 vs. Similar to the CV, the measurement bias ratio and 95% ratio LOA
181.8
87.8 s, t(7) ¼ 5.16, P < 0.05), while the change in handgrip between trial 1 and 2 was 0.89 */O 1.15. The ratios enhanced to
strength (391.3
76.2 vs. 391.3
51.4 N, t(7) ¼ 0.001, P > 0.05) was not 0.99 */O 1.07 when trials 2 and 3 were counted.
significant.
4. Discussion

3.2. Reliability
This study examined the validity and reliability of the sport-
specific endurance plank test, which was designed in an attempt
One-way ANOVA with repeated measurements revealed that
to advance the core test originally developed by Mackenzie (2005)
the main effect of the plank test performance across the three trials
as a surrogate measure of global core muscle endurance in athletes.
(Fig. 3) was significant (F(2,38) ¼ 35.9, P < 0.05). Post-hoc compar-
The current sEMG data validated the claims that the performance of
isons showed that the performance in the 1st trial (173.85
49.1 s)
prone bridge (plank) during the new test recruits trunk flexors as
was lower than (P < 0.05) that in the 2nd and 3rd trials
well as the lumbar extensors; the plank manoeuvre interspersed
(194.6
57.5 s, 197.1
58.2 s, P < 0.05). No significant difference
with the alternate lift up of arms and legs imposes extra loading
was found between the 2nd and 3rd trials (P > 0.05).
upon these muscles. Construct validity of the new test was also
ICC for the plank test performance across the three trials was
suggested by its ability to discriminate the changes in the global
0.97 (95% confidence interval: 0.94e0.99), reflecting substantial
relative reliability. For the ICC between the 1st and 2nd trials, the
value decreased to 0.96 (95% confidence interval: 0.91e0.99). In
contrast, it increased to 0.99 (95% confidence interval: 0.98e0.99)
when the 2nd and 3rd trials were counted. For absolute reliability,
the CV across the three trials was 6.86
4.22%. It increased to

Table 1
Percentage of maximum voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC) in the rectus
abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO) and erector spinae (ES) at stages 1, 2, 4, 6 and
8 of the sport-specific endurance plank test (n ¼ 8).

%MVIC (%)

Stage 1 Stage 2 Stage 4 Stage 6 Stage 8

RA 32.7
10.8 47.7
13.5* 50.0
17.9* 73.7
22.3*ab 63.2
8.2*a
EO 31.7
8.5 42.8
11.9 56.6
17.7* 68.6
14.1*a 55.2
7.4*ac
ES 3.3
1.2 4.7
1.3* 4.6
2.9 6.3
2.1*ab 5.1
2.2*

Notes: Values are expressed as Mean
SD.

*Significant different from stage 1, P < 0.05.
a
Significant different from stage 2, P < 0.05.
b
Significant different from stage 4, P < 0.05. Fig. 3. The time to exhaustion in performing the sport-specific endurance plank test in
c
Significant different from stage 6, P < 0.05. three repeated trials is shown. *Significant difference from 1st trial (P < 0.05).
62 T.K. Tong et al. / Physical Therapy in Sport 15 (2014) 58e63

core muscle endurance subsequent to a pre-fatigue core workout. settings are mediated from the integration of highly dynamic and
For test-retest reliability, the test was also shown to be reliable (CV), loaded movements of the extremities (Hibbs et al., 2008). The plank
especially if the first of the three trials were used as a familiariza- manoeuvre of the new test interspersed with the alternate lift up of
tion trial (CV). arms and legs could assess the core muscle function of athletes in a
functional dimension.
4.1. Validation To examine further the construct validity of the new test, the
time to exhaustion during the test with and without a pre-fatigue
During stages 1 and 8 of the endurance plank test, participants core workout was compared. It was noted that the performance of
maintained the basic plank position by performing the prone the new test was reduced w30% with the preceded core muscle
bridge on their elbows and toes with their spine in neutral align- fatigue workout. The impaired performance should not be attrib-
ment. The %MVIC data in Table 1 show that the static bridging uted to central factors as the handgrip strength, which is the
exercise, in agreement with previous findings, did load the RA, EO strength of selected muscles which were not likely to be recruited
and ES, while the challenges to the RA and EO were markedly during the core exercises, was well maintained subsequent to the
greater than those to the ES (Ekstrom, Donatelli, & Carp, 2007; workout. Such findings suggest that the new test is a valid tool to
Schellenberg et al., 2007). Nevertheless, the loading imposed on the assess the intra-individual change in global core muscle endurance
RA and EO in stage 1, around 30% MVIC, was moderate. Such loading resulting from exercise-induced undue fatigue in the muscles. In
was considered to be most beneficial for endurance or motor spite of knowing that the tension demands of selected anterolateral
control training (Schellenberg et al., 2007). As the test continued to trunk flexors were markedly greater than that of the trunk extensors
stage 8 with participants returning to the basic plank position, during the test, we do not know clearly the complicated interactions
higher muscle activity levels were observed. In comparison to stage among various core muscle groups in determining the sustainability
1, the %MVIC of RA increased for more than 90%. More than 70% and of the test. In this case, the new test would only be valid to assess
50% increases in %MVIC were also observed in the EO and ES, athletes’ global core muscle endurance. The use of the test for
respectively. The performance of the same prone bridge with assessing the functional change of individual core muscle is limited.
marked increase in the %MVIC of the selected muscles showed that
the tensions of the muscles in stage 8 were maintained with 4.2. Reliability
augmented motor unit recruitments. Although the extent of acti-
vation of other core stabilisers, such as the lumbar multifidus and In this study, the reliability of the sport-specific endurance plank
transversus abdominus, had not been examined, the current find- test was revealed by the reproducibility of the test performance in a
ings might have already provided an indication of the changes in sample of repeated measurements, and the degree to which the
the activity levels of trunk flexors and extensors in general. One can repeated measures varied. In the three repeated trials, the ICC for
infer from these findings that the loads originating from the sup- the endurance plank test was 0.97, indicating a reasonable relative
port of the prone bridge that the core muscles counteracted during reliability. However, an approximately 12% increase in performance
the test were sufficient to induce muscle fatigue and, in turn, (w20 s) in the second trial in comparison to that in the first trial
challenge the endurance of the muscles to exhaustion within a few was noted, although the difference in the performance (w1%) be-
minutes. tween the second and third trials was relatively minor (Fig. 3). The
In stages 2 and 4, when participants lifted up either one arm or marked systematic bias indicated the existence of learning effects
leg while maintaining a basic plank position, the %MVIC of the in participants performing the test (Cowley & Swensen, 2008).
selected trunk muscles augmented in comparison to those in stage Nevertheless, the serious bias only appeared in between the first
1 (Table 1). When the arm and leg on different sides of the body two trials, which indicated that the possible learning effects in
were lifted up simultaneously in stage 6, the %MVIC of the trunk performing the test were diminished to a greater extent after the
muscles was further augmented. The augmentation of the activa- first attempt. In fact, when the performance of the first trial was
tion levels of the trunk muscles should not be wholly attributed to ignored in counting the reliability, the ICC increased to 0.99.
the time course effect of supporting the prone bridge, as no sig- To examine further the degree to which the performance of the
nificant difference in %MVIC of the muscles was observed between repeated tests varied, absolute reliability was assessed. In line with
stages 2 and 4. Furthermore, the %MVIC of the trunk muscles ten- the captioned findings of the relative reliability, the CV of 7.86%
ded to decrease from the levels achieved in stage 6 when the basic across the first two repeated trials was reduced to 2.0% when the
plank position was resumed in stage 8. It was reasonable to claim variances in the testing performance between the second and third
that the specific limb actions in stages 2, 4 and 6 were effectively to trials were considered. This means that with a preceded trial of the
impose extra loading to the trunk muscles while the prone bridge endurance plank test to exhaustion, 68% of the difference between
was being performed. Although we cannot rule out the presence of subsequent repeated tests lies within 2% of the mean of the data
potential interferences mediated from different sources such as (Bland & Altman, 1986). For the measurement bias ratio and 95%
crosstalk, which might have contaminated the sEMG data, linear ratio LOA, significant enhancement in the ratios between the sec-
relationships between the EMG signal amplitude and increasing ond and third trials (0.99 */O 1.07) in comparison to those occur-
force output during isometric contractions have been demon- ring between the first and second trials (0.89 */O 1.15) was
strated previously in the selected trunk muscles (Marras & Davis, observed. The findings of the ratios indicate that for the perfor-
2001). In fact, the traditional plank test, which involves solely mance of the test on the first attempt, about 95% of cases may differ
sustaining a prone bridge to exhaustion, is generally considered as from that on the second attempt by 22% below to 2% above. Sub-
an effective means for quantifying trunk-stabiliser endurance in the sequent to the first attempt, the difference would be narrowed
rehabilitation sector (Schellenberg et al., 2007). The greater de- greatly to the range of 8% below to 5% above when the perfor-
mand of core muscle tension in the new test relative to that in the mances on the second and third attempts are compared (Bland &
traditional test favours its use in the evaluation of the core muscle Altman, 1986). The smallest detectable difference (SDD) based on
endurance of athletes, as the challenges to core stability during the testing results of the second and third trials (Roebroeck,
sporting activities are much greater than those to spinal stability Harlaar, & Lankhorst, 1993), the SDD (95% CI) of 5.85 s of the
during daily tasks (Leetun, Ireland, Willson, Ballantyne, & Davis, testing performance indicates adequate sensitivity of the new test
2004). Moreover, most of the challenges to core muscles in sports to detect the actual change in core muscle endurance for 3%. Such
 T.K. Tong et al. / Physical Therapy in Sport 15 (2014) 58e63 63

findings implied that the endurance plank test could possess Adams, G.. M., & Beam, W. C. (2007). Exercise physiology laboratory manual (5th ed.).
New York: McGraw-Hill.
excellent test-retest reliability and acceptable measurement error if
Bland, J. M., & Altman, D. G. (1986). Statistical methods for assessing agreement
there is at least one familiarisation trial with an identical testing between two methods of clinical measurement. Lancet, 1(8476), 307e310.
protocol carried out prior to data collection. Cowley, P. M., & Swensen, T. C. (2008). Development and reliability of two
core stability field tests. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research,
22(2), 619e624.
5. Conclusion Cram, J. R., & Kasman, G. S. (1998). Introduction to surface electromyography.
Maryland: Aspen Publishers.
Ekstrom, R. A., Donatelli, R. A., & Carp, K. C. (2007). Electromyographic analysis of
The current findings of sEMG and pre-fatigue core workout
core trunk, hip, and thigh muscles during 9 rehabilitation exercises. Journal of
demonstrated that the sport-specific endurance plank test is a valid Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 37(12), 754e762.
and practical method for assessing the endurance capacity of the Fig, G. (2005). Sport-specific conditioning: strength training for swimmers-training
global core muscle of athletes in a functional manner. With the the core. Strength and Conditioning Journal, 27(2), 40e42.
Hibbs, A. E., Thompson, K. G., French, D., Wrigley, A., & Spears, I. (2008). Optimizing
presence of simple restriction in prone bridge formation and hip performance by improving core stability and core strength. Sports Medicine,
displacement during the test, reliable measurement data could be 38(12), 995e1008.
obtained. As there was a trial prior to data collection which allowed Kibler, W. B., Press, J., & Sciascia, A. (2006). The role of core stability in athletic
function. Sports Medicine, 36(3), 189e198.
the participants who are new to the plank exercise to familiarise Leetun, D. T., Ireland, M. L., Willson, J. D., Ballantyne, B. T., & Davis, I. M. (2004). Core
themselves with the testing protocol, the test reliability excels stability measures as risk factors for lower extremity injury in athletes. Medicine
further. and Science in Sports and Exercise, 36(6), 926e934.
Mackenzie, B. (2005). 101 Performance evaluation tests. London: Electric Word plc.
Marras, W. S., & Davis, K. G. (2001). A non-MVC EMG normalization technique for
Conflict of interest statement the trunk musculature: part 1. Method development. Journal of Electromyog-
None declared. raphy and Kinesiology, 11(1), 1e9.
McGill, S. M. (2007). Low back disorders: Evidence-based prevention and rehabilita-
tion (2nd ed.). Champaign IL: Human Kinetics.
Ethical statement McGill, S. M., Belore, M., Crosby, I., & Russell, C. (2010). Clinical tools to quantify
All participants gave written informed consent to participate in torso flexion endurance: normative data from student and firefighter pop-
ulations. Occupational Ergonomics, 9(1), 55e61.
the captioned study and the research was approved by the Com-
Ozkaplan, A., Rhodes, E. C., Sheel, A. W., & Taunton, J. E. (2005). A comparison
mittee on the Use of Human and Animal Subjects in Teaching and of inspiratory muscle fatigue following maximal exercise in moderately
Research of Hong Kong Baptist University. trained males and females. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 95(1),
52e56.
Richardson, C., Jull, G., Hodges, P., & Hides, J. (1999). Therapeutic exercise for spinal
Funding segmental stabilization in low back pain: Scientific basis and clinical approach.
None declared. Sydney: Churchill Livingstone.
Roebroeck, M. E., Harlaar, J., & Lankhorst, G. J. (1993). The application of general-
izability theory to reliability assessment: an illustration using isometric force
References measurements. Physical Therapy, 73(6), 386e395.
Schellenberg, K. L., Lang, J. M., Chan, K. M., & Burnham, R. S. (2007). A clinical tool
Abt, J. P., Smoliga, J. M., Brick, M. J., Jolly, J. T., Lephart, S.. M., & Fu, F. H. (2007). for office assessment of lumbar spine stabilization endurance: prone and supine
Relationship between cycling mechanics and core stability. Journal of Strength bridge maneuvers. American Journal of Physical Medicine Rehabilitation, 86(5),
and Conditioning Research, 21(4), 1300e1304. 380e386.