The Effect of Core Stability Exercises in People With Trunk Neuromuscular Deficiency: A Systematic Review

Document Type : Review Article

Authors

Department of Sport Injuries and Corrective Exercise, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Guilan, Rasht, Iran

Abstract

Purpose:
Core stability refers to the ability of the lumbopelvic region to prevent spinal instability and restore balance after a disturbance. Considering the importance of this function in musculoskeletal health, the present systematic review aimed to examine the effects of core stability exercises in individuals with trunk neuromuscular deficiency.
Methods:
In this systematic review, the effects of core stability exercises on individuals with trunk neuromuscular deficiency were investigated. The search process was conducted in databases including Google Scholar, PubMed, and ScienceDirect, as well as Persian databases such as Google Scholar, Megapaper, IranDoc, MagIran, Jihad Daneshgahi Scientific Information Center, Medlib, IranMedex, and the Iranian Research Institute for Information Science and Technology. The search utilized keywords including “Core stability exercises” or “core stability training” or “core stability endurance” or “trunk stability” or “core strengthening exercise” or “trunk resistance exercise” and “trunk dysfunction” or “trunk deficit “or “Neuromuscular deficiency of the trunk” covering the period from 2000 to May 2025. The PEDro scale was also used to assess the quality of studies.
Results:
A total of 140 articles were retrieved, and after removing duplicates, 13 studies closely related to the research topic were selected for final analysis in the present study. Two studies were of high quality and 11 studies were of low quality.
Conclusion:
The reviewed studies indicate that core stability exercises have a positive effect on improving neuromuscular trunk impairments and can be considered an effective method for rehabilitation and prevention of disorders in this region. However, the low quality of some studies, the limited number of international studies, and the absence of long-term follow-ups are among the limitations of this systematic review; therefore, the results should be interpreted with caution.

Keywords

References

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Journal of Paramedical Sciences & Rehabilitation
Volume 14, Issue 4
February 2026
Pages 112-125

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