• 대한물리의학회지
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• 제12권1호
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• pp.1-8
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• 2017

PURPOSE: This study was to determine the changes of abdominal muscles activation according to the heel contact methods of stair ascent in healthy young adults. METHODS: 33 healthy young subjects (mean age: $26.37{\pm}9.72$ years, age range: 20-32 years) volunteered under two conditions. They were performed stair ascent with heel contact and without heel contact. The effects of heel contact methods were assessed using the surface electromyography (sEMG) analysis during stair ascent for activation of abdominal muscles (internal oblique; IO, transverse abdominis; TrA, external oblique; EO rectus abdominis; RA). The interventions were conducted over three trials in each method, and measurements were performed on each subject by one examiner in three trials. RESULTS: Our results revealed that there were significantly greater increase in the EMG activation of IO and TrA muscles in the performance of stair ascent with heel contact (p<.05) compared to those of stair ascent without heel contact. The results also showed that there were greater decrease in the ratio of abdominal muscle activation in those of stair ascent with heel contact compared with stair ascent without heel contact. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrated that the method of stair ascent with heel contact would suggest positive evidence for improving activation of abdominal muscles.

• 대한물리치료과학회지
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.96-103
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• 2003

The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of applied pressure to abdomen on lumbar and abdominal muscle activation during upper limb exercise. The experimental group consisted of twenty-seven healthy male subjects (mean age=$22.40{\pm}2.19years$, mean height=$175.30{\pm}2.19cm$, mean weight= $67.67{\pm}7.44kg$, RM=$8.43{\pm}2.76kg$). In each different pressure condition (OmmHg, 30mmHg, 70mmHg, 100mmHg), upper limb exercise was performed in total of 10 trials with 10 RM dumb-bell exercise. Lumbar and abdominal muscle activity was measured using surface bipolar electrode electromyography(EMG). EMG activity was measured from upper rectus abdominis, external oblique abdominis, internal oblique abdominis, and elector spinae. The raw EMG signal was processed into the root mean square(RMS). All RMS EMG data were normalized and express as a percentage of the EMG(%EMG). Collected data were statistically analyzed by SPSS/PC Ver 10.0 using two-way analysis of variance for repeated measures($4{\pm}3$) and Bonferroni post hoc, test. Lumbar and abdominal muscle activation was significantly increased when 100 mmHg was applied(p<.05). Upper rectus abdominis activation was significantly increased compared as other muscles activation(p<.05). However, there were no interaction between pressure and muscles(p>.05). The findings of this study can be used as a fundamental data when lumbar orthosis is applied and external pressure can be used as a therapeutic tool.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.167-174
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• 2021

Objective: Single leg bridge exercise (SLBE) improves trunk muscle activation and provides muscle stability by aligning joints related to posture. This preliminary study aimed to investigate the effects of SLBE on abdominal muscle activation in subacute stroke patients. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Fifteen subacute stroke patients (9 males, 6 females) voluntarily participated in this study. SLBE was performed on the affected side. Each individual patient performed an SLBE ten times in three sets and was asked to hold their position for 5 s. Muscles activity was recorded using a surface electromyography (EMG) system before and after the SLBE. A surface EMG system was used to analyze the muscle activity during general bridge exercise, including the rectus abdominis (RA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) abdominal muscles. Results: Muscle activity of both EO and IO on the affected side significantly increased (p<0.05), whereas the muscle activity of the RA and the three muscles on the unaffected side did not show a significant difference. In addition, improvement in muscle asymmetry of the EO and IO showed a significant change after SLBE (p<0.05). Conclusions: SLBE is effective in activating the abdominal muscles of stroke patients on the affected side and is a helpful exercise intervention that activates the muscles to transform asymmetric abdominal muscles into symmetric patterns.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• 제11권2호
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• pp.245-252
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• 2022

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the abdominal muscle activity difference while performing the abdominal bracing technique focusing on inspiration (abdominal bracing group), the general abdominal bracing technique (general bracing group), and the abdominal hollowing technique (abdominal hallowing group) Design: A cross-sectional study design. Methods: Thirty-three healthy participants were recruited for this study. The participants were allocated to 3 different groups; Abdominal bracing group, general bracing group, and abdominal hallowing group. The surface electromyography was placed over the rectus abdominis, external oblique, and internal oblique muscles to collect the activation of abdominal muscles during the trial. Results: The muscle activity of the abdominal bracing group and general bracing groups was significantly higher in all abdominal muscles than in the abdominal hollowing group (p<0.05) Both rectus abdominis and external oblique muscles showed higher muscle activations in the abdominal bracing group over the general bracing group (p<0.05). However, the ratio of bilateral external obliques and rectus abdominis to bilateral internal obliques was highest when the hollowing technique was applied (p<0.05). Conclusions: The results of study showed the abdominal bracing technique that emphasized inhalation rather than the abdominal hollowing technique or general abdominal bracing technique increased the activity of the abdominal muscles. Therefore, this study is considered to be a data for effective training if the abdominal bracing technique that emphasizes inhalation is applied as a method to increase the activation of the abdominal muscles.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제24권5호
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• pp.319-324
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• 2012

Purpose: This study examined the muscle activities of the erector spinae (ES) and gluteus maximus (GM) during bridging exercises with and without abdominal-hollowing. Methods: Nineteen healthy subjects with no medical history of low back pain or hip flexion contracture were enrolled in this study. The subjects performed bridging exercises with and without abdominal hollowing or with and without a one-leg lift. The muscle activities of the ES and GM were measured by surface electromyography during bridging exercises under each condition. A 2 (abdominal hollowing)X2 (one-leg lift) repeated ANOVA was used to compare the normalized muscle activities of the ES and GM. Results: The muscle activity of the ES during bridging exercise with abdominal-hollowing was significantly smaller than that without abdominal-hollowing (p=0.00). The muscle activities of the GM during bridging exercise with abdominal-hollowing were significantly greater than those without abdominal-hollowing (p=0.00). In addition, the muscle activities of the GM during bridging exercise with one-leg lifting was significantly greater than that without one-leg lifting (p=0.00). Conclusion: Bridging exercise with abdominal-hollowing appears to be more effective on activating the GM muscle than that without abdominal-hollowing minimizing the activation of the ES muscle.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.195-200
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was designed to evaluate the effects of the different condition of leg support surface on the upper extremity and core muscle activity during the push-up exercise. Methods: Fifteen healthy subjects that were practicable push-ups were recruited in this study. Subjects were instructed the push-up exercise in the different condition of the leg support surface. Each condition of support surface was set to the high and lower, and the unstable and stable condition. Muscle activation was measured by using the surface electromyography (EMG), and recorded from the triceps brachii, serratus anterior, latissimus dorsi, rectus abdominis, abdominal external oblique, and erector spinea muscle. Results: In the results of experiments, there was no significant difference of muscle activation in upper extremity between the high unstable and high stable support surface. By contrast, muscle activation of the rectus abdominis and abdominal external oblique was significantly higher in the low unstable support surface, compared with those of the low stable support surface. It is well known that the core muscle was important to stabilization of trunk stability. Conclusion: This result demonstrates that the low and unstable support surface for the lower extremity was suited for training of core muscle for trunk stabilization during the push-up exercise.

• 대한물리의학회지
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• 제7권3호
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• pp.319-327
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• 2012

Purpose : This study aimed to identify the asymmetry observed in the rehabilitative ultrasound imaging of lateral abdominal muscle thickness and performance between the affected and unaffected side during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM), an exercise used to facilitate activation of selectively TrA to stabilize the trunk prior to limb movement. Methods : The Participants were twenty one patients with post-stroke hemiplegia in this study. Ultrasound imaging was used to measure amount of changes in thickness of the external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), transversus abdominis (TrA). A Paired t-test was used to compare relaxed muscle thickness to contracted muscle thickness of all 3 muscles between the affected and unaffected sides. Results : The outcome measures included side to side differences of absolute thickness, contraction ratio among the lateral abdominal muscles. There was no significantly difference in between the affected and unaffected side at rest. But, there was a significantly difference in absolute muscle thickness between the affected and unaffected side of only TrA muscle. Also contraction ratio was a significantly difference between the affected and unaffected TrA muscle. Conclusion : These findings support the asymmetrical activation of TrA muscle during abdominal muscle contraction in patients with post-stroke hemiplegia. Further studies are warranted for confirming this outcome.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• 제10권4호
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• pp.444-449
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study is to observe the change in the thickness of abdominal muscles when electrical muscle stimulation (EMS) is applied to the abdomen during rest and abdominal muscle exercise to investigate the effect of EMS applied to the abdomen on the superficial and deep muscles thickness. Design: Cross sectional design. Methods: Twenty healthy subjects participated in this study. Subjects were performed resting position, resting position with EMS, curl-up and curl-up with EMS. The electrode of the EMS belt is attached to the abdominal wall between the 12th rib and iliac crest. The thickness of abdominal muscles including rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), and transverse abdominis (TrA) were captured in each position by ultrasound image during expiration. All subjects were performed four positions randomly. Data were analyzed using repeated ANOVA with the level of significance set at 𝛼=0.05. Results: The muscle thickness of RA, EO, IO and TrA were significantly different at each position (p<0.05). The thickness of all abdominal muscles increased significantly when curl-up than curl-up with EMS. Both RA and EO thickness were significantly increased at resting position than resting position and EMS were combined(p<0.05). But IO and TrA thickness were decreased at resting position when EMS were combined. Conclusions: The results suggest that EMS activates superficial abdominal muscles RA and EO. Therefore, abdominal strengthening exercise combined EMS can activate abdominal muscles and can be applied to various patients and rehabilitation in clinical practice.

• 한국정밀공학회지
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• 제28권1호
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• pp.115-122
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• 2011

Recently, we have proposed a hypothesis that spinal structures have a stress sensor driving feedback mechanism, In the human spine, spinal structure could react to modify muscular action in such a way so as to equalize stress at the disc, therefore reduce the risk of injury, In this analysis, abdominal muscle and abdominal pressure, which were not included in the previous study, were added to identify those effects in spine stability during upright stance posture for the case where the intervertebral disc plays the role of mechanoreceptor, The musculoskeletal FE model was consisted with detailed whole lumbar spine, pelvis, sacrum, coccyx and simplified trunk model. Muscle architecture with 46 local muscles containing paraspinal muscle and 6 rectus abdominal muscles were assigned according to the acting directions. The magnitude of 4kPa was considered for abdominal pressure. Minimization of the nucleus pressure deviation and annulus fiber average tension stress deviation was chosen for cost function. Developed model provide nice coincidence with in-vivo measurement (nucleus pressure). Analysis was conducted according to existence of co-activation of abdominal muscle and abdominal pressure. Antagonistic activity of abdominal muscle produced stability of spinal column with relatively small amount of total muscle force. In contrast to the abdominal muscle, effect of abdominal pressure was not clear that was partly depending on the assumption of constant abdominal pressure.

• 한국전문물리치료학회지
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.32-39
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• 2013

Abdominal curl-up exercise may excessively increased superficial neck flexor such as sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. Also, the muscle activity of the abdominal muscles haven't investigated during abdominal curl-up with craniocervical flexion (CCF). Therefore, the purpose of our study was to determine the effect of CCF on the muscle activity of the abdominal and SCM muscles during abdominal curl-up. Twelve healthy subjects (six men and six women) with no history of abdominal or lower back pain within 6 weeks were recruited. Surface electromyographic signals were collected on SCM, rectus abdominis (RA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) muscles bilaterally during performing the traditional abdominal curl-up and the abdominal curl-up with CCF. Paired t-tests were used to compare the differences in the muscle activity of the bilateral SCM, RA, EO, and IO muscles between the traditional abdominal curl-up and the abdominal curl-up with CCF (p<.05). There was significantly lower electromyogram (EMG) activity of the both SCMs during the abdominal curl-up with CCF (Right SCM, $39.50{\pm}15.29%MVIC$; Left SCM, $38.24{\pm}17.31%MVIC$) than with the traditional abdominal curl-up (Right SCM, $54.85{\pm}20.05%MVIC$; Left SCM, $53.18{\pm}26.72%MVIC$) (p<.05). The activity of abdominal muscles were not significantly different between the traditional abdominal curl-up and the abdominal curl-up with CCF. The abdominal curl-up with CCF requires significantly less muscle activity of SCM. Consequently, the abdominal curl-up with CCF is recommended to prevent excessive activation of superficial cervical flexors during abdominal curl-up exercise.