Effect of islamic poraying on back muscles performance

Abstract EN

Objective: To evaluate the effect of Islamic praying on back muscles performance in healthy subjects.

Materials: Thirty middle aged healthy Moslem prayers were selected for the current study.

They were 15 males (male prayers group) and 15 females (female prayers group).

Their ages ranged from 20 to 40 years with mean age 28.2+6.67.

Another 30 age and sex matched healthy subjects of another religion were selected as a control group to evaluate the effect of Islamic praying on back muscles performance.

They were 15 males (male non-prayers group) and 15 females (female non-prayers group).

Their mean age was 26.93+5.86.

Methods: All subjects underwent isokinetic test of back muscles at angular velocities of 60 and 120 degrees/sec.

Peak torque (PT) and power (PW) were used as parameters for evaluation of back muscles performance during flexion and extension.

Surface EMG scanning of erector spinae muscles was also done for all subjects to evaluate the muscle status.

Results: PT and PW were significantly higher in the prayers groups than non-prayers groups.

This suggested more back muscles strength in prayers than non-prayers.

There were insignificantly decreased PT and PW in females than males of prayers and non-prayers groups, at both 60 and 120 degrees/sec.

It was noticed that PT and PW of back extension were higher than that of flexion in prayers and non-prayers groups, the PT and PW of back muscles were also inversely proportional to the test speed.

Furthermore, EMG scanning revealed significant increased tension of erector spinae muscles in the non-prayers than prayers groups during the standing position; that suggested the susceptibility of non-prayers back muscles to strain and tightness.

On the other hand, neither isokinetic parameters nor EMG scanning showed significant differences between males and females of all groups.

Conclusion: The significant decreased back muscles strength and increased muscle tension in non-prayers could be due to prolonged period of inactivity that was compensated by Islamic praying in the prayers groups.

Islamic praying improves the back muscles performance, that may protect against back muscle strain and tightness that lead to backache.