背景與目的：根據文獻報告台彎成人約有80%沒有規律之運動習慣，且少有研究報告以徒手肌力測試法檢測台彎成人腹肌肌力與肌耐力。本研究目的為調查國內健康成人之腹肌肌力、肌耐力表現，比較國人與西方人在腹肌肌力與肌肉體適能上的差異。方法：120位健康成人參與實驗，以徒手肌力測試法評估腹肌肌力。腹肌肌耐力測式，其姿勢係採仰臥，屈膝，雙手合抱於枕骨後面，將肩膀抬高至肩胛骨下角離開床面算是完成一個動作，並以3秒完成一個動作，計算受試者能連續完成之次數。結果：腹肌肌力與年齡、性別有關；全體受試者中只有60%達到「正常級」，其中女性佔30.6%，男性佔69.4%。年齡、性別、體重影響腹肌肌耐力，男性60-79歲組分別與20-39歲及40-59歲這兩組有顯著差異(p<0.01)，女性20-39歲各與40-59歲、60-79歲有顯著差異(p<0.01)。結論：以徒手肌力測試法檢測國內健康成人之腹肌肌力，只有60%達到「正常級」，所以此種測試腹肌肌力方法對無規律運動習慣之國人可能有地板效應。

Background: Previous study showed that 80% of the Taiwanese adults did not exercise regularly. Few studies have examined the trunk flexor strength and endurance in the Taiwanese adults. Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigate the strength and endurance of trunk flexors in Taiwanese healthy adults. In addition, the differences of the muscle strength and endurance of trunk flexors of the Taiwanese was compared to the data in the western countries .Methods: One hundred and twenty healthy volunteers joined in this study. They were 10 males and females in each 10- year age group from 20 to 79 years. The strength of trunk flexors was graded by the standard movement developed by Daniel and Worthgham. The endurance of trunk flexors was assessed by the repetitions of trunk curl-up with both hands at the occiput. Results: Only sixty percent of the participants showed their trunk flexors strong enough to attain the 'Normal grade;' 23.3% were at the 'Fair grade,' the remainders were at the 'Poor grade'. Both the strength and endurance of trunk flexors were affected by age and gender. Older subjects showed less muscle strength and endurance than younger ones and the male subjects showed greater muscle strength and endurance than the females. Conclusion: The strength and endurance of trunk flexors of the subjects in this study were much less as compared with those of the western countries.