Electromyographic analysis of core trunk, hip, and thigh muscles during 9 rehabilitation exercises

STUDY DESIGN: Prospective, single-group, repeated-measures design. OBJECTIVE: To identify exercises that could be used for strength development and the exercises that would be more appropriate for endurance or stabilization training. BACKGROUND: The exercises analyzed are often used in rehabilitation programs for the spine, hip, and knee. They are active exercises using body weight for resistance; thus a clinician is unable to determine the amount of resistance being applied to a muscle group. Electromyographic (EMG) analysis can provide a measure of muscle activation so that the clinician can have a better idea about the effect the exercise may have on the muscle for strength, endurance, or stabilization. METHODS AND MEASURES: Surface EMG analysis was carried out in 19 males and 11 females while performing the following 9 exercises: active hip abduction, bridge, unilateral-bridge, side-bridge, prone-bridge on the elbows and toes, quadruped arm/lower extremity lift, lateral step-up, standing lunge, and using the Dynamic Edge. The rectus abdominis, external oblique abdominis, longissimus thoracis, lumbar multifidus, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, vastus medialis obliquus, and hamstring muscles were studied. RESULTS: In healthy subjects, the lateral step-up and the lunge exercises produced EMG levels greater than 45% maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) in the vastus medialis obliquus, which suggests that they may be beneficial for strengthening that muscle. The side-bridge exercise could be used for strengthening the gluteus medius and the external oblique abdominis muscles, and the quadruped arm/lower extremity lift exercise may help strengthen the gluteus maximus muscle. All the other exercises produced EMG levels less than 45% MVIC, so they may be more beneficial for training endurance or stabilization in healthy subjects. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest these exercises could be used for a core rehabilitation or performance enhancement program. Depending on the individual needs of a patient or athlete, some of the exercises may be more beneficial than others for achieving strength

Keywords : Adult,analysis,Electromyography,Exercise,Exercise Therapy,Exercise Tolerance,Female,Hip,Hip Joint,Humans,Isometric Contraction,Knee,Male,methods,Middle Aged,Muscle,Skeletal,physiology,Prospective Studies,rehabilitation,Spine,therapy,Thigh,Thorax,Toes,Universities,, Analysis,Core,Trunk,Hip, lower back pain when standing and walking

Date of Publication : 2007 Dec

Authors : Ekstrom RA;Donatelli RA;Carp KC;

Organisation : Department of Physical Therapy, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD 57069, USA. rekstrom@usd.edu

Journal of Publication : J Orthop Sports Phys Ther

Pubmed Link : https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/18560185

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