• PNF and Movement
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.159-166
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• 2017

Purpose: This study attempts to determine the effects of applying three kinds of breathing exercises for four weeks on the neck muscle activation of subjects with a forward head posture. Methods: A total of 30 adults aged in their twenties (15 men and 15 women) with a forward head posture who voluntarily agreed to participate after listening to the purpose and procedure of this research were chosen as the subjects of this study. The subjects were randomly divided into either the diaphragmatic breathing exercise (DBE) group, the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) group, or the abdominal expansion method (AEM) group according to the breathing intervention scheme. Each group included ten subjects. The muscle activity of the sternocleidomastoid, scalenus anterior, and splenius capitis was measured in all the groups prior to the intervention, two weeks after the intervention, and four weeks after the intervention. All the interventions were implemented for 30 minutes a day, three times a week, for a total of four weeks. Results: No significant between-group difference was observed in terms of the change in neck muscle activity according to the four-week intervention scheme. Further, there was no interaction between the intervention period and the intervention scheme in relation to the change in neck muscle activity. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that abdominal expansion exercise is as effective as other breathing exercise methods for subjects with a forward head posture. We therefore expect that abdominal expansion exercise can be used as a scheme for the prevention of symptoms as well as therapy for patients with a forward head posture.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.215-222
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate abdominal local muscle activity during modified bridge exercise. 17 subjects participated in this study. Abdominal muscles measured. External oblique abdominis (EO), internal oblique abdominis (IO), transvers abdominis (TrA), and rectus abdominis (RA) during general bridge exercise and modified bridge exercise, respectively. Electromyogram (EMG) and real-time ultrasound were used to verify alteration of muscles. Activation of RA and EO muscles of non-dominant foot was significantly difference in general bridge exercise group, not modifiedl bridge exercise group. In the modified bridge exercise group, thickness of IO and TrA muscle of non-dominant foot was significantly difference in modified bridge exercise group than general bridge exercise group. Therefore, modified bridge exercise may be apply as more effective exercise for local muscle activity than global muscle.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.177-185
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• 2022

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of additional isometric contraction of trunk, shoulder, and hip muscles during abdominal crunch exercise on abdominal muscle thickness and to identify the most effective intervention for core muscle activation. Methods : This study was conducted on 22 healthy male adults. Subjects performed three types of crunch exercises (abdominal crunches accompanied by internal and external isometric rotation of the hip, horizontal shoulder adduction and abduction, and rotation of the trunk). The thickness of the transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) were evaluated using ultrasonography. The collected data used one-way repeated ANOVA statistics. Wilcoxon signed-rank test of nonparametric statistics was used for post-test analysis. Results : The IO thickness was significantly lower than general abdominal crunch when shoulder adduction was added (p<.05). The crunch with shoulder abduction, hip external rotation, and ipsilateral trunk rotation was significantly higher than the abdominal crunch (p<.05). The EO thickness was significantly greater in the crunch with hip external rotation than in the abdominal crunch (p<.05). Conclusion : The level of contraction in abdominal muscles appears to vary when isometric contractions of the trunk, shoulder, and hip muscles are added to the abdominal crunch exercise. Therefore, the use of isometric contractions of other joints to selectively induce contraction of the abdominal muscles may be considered.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2013

Purpose: Spinal instability due to weakness of abdominal muscles is one of the major causes that induces low back pain (LBP). The purpose of this study was to investigate any differences in abdominal muscle activity during curl up, roll out, and jack knife exercises using a swiss-ball or sling. Methods: Twenty healthy subjects were randomly assigned into either a swiss-ball exercise group (SBEG) or a sling exercise group (SEG). Subjects performed curl up, roll out and jack knife exercises using the swiss ball or sling. Activity of abdominal muscles (rectus abdominis and external oblique muscle) was assessed using surface EMG and normalized maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC). The significance of differences between the sling exercise group and the swiss-ball exercise group was evaluated by the independent t-test. Results: These Results indicated that activities of rectus abdominis on right and left of the SEG during the curl up exercise were significantly greater than the SBEG. During the roll out exercise, activity of the abdominal muscle was not significantly different between the SEG and SBEG. In addition, during the jack knife exercise, activities of the right rectus abdominis and left external oblique muscle in the SEG were significantly greater than the SBEG. Conclusion: In conclusion, activity of the abdominal muscles was maximized when curl up and jack knife exercise were performed using the sling rather than the swiss-ball. Therefore, if increased activation of the abdominal muscle is the goal of an exercise program, curl up and jack knife exercises may be useful.

• Journal of International Academy of Physical Therapy Research
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.2178-2183
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• 2020

Background: Trunk flexor-extensor muscles' co-activation and upright posture are important for spinal stability. Abdominal bracing and maximal expiration are being used as exercises to excel torso co-contraction. However, no study has on comparison of the effect of this exercise on multifidus in the upright sitting posture. Objectives: This study aims to verify the effectiveness of abdominal bracing and expiration maneuvers in lumbo-pelvic upright sitting. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Eighteen healthy women were recruited for this study. The multifidus muscle thickness of all subjects was measured in three sitting conditions (lumbo-pelvic upright sitting, lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with abdominal bracing, and lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with maximum expiration) using ultrasound. One-way repeated measure analysis of variance was used for the evaluation. Results: Compared to lumbo-pelvic upright sitting, lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with abdominal bracing and lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with maximum expiration were associated with significantly increment of muscle thickness. There was no significant difference in muscle thickness between lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with abdominal bracing and lumbo-pelvic upright sitting with maximum expiration. Conclusion: Abdominal bracing and maximum expiration could be beneficial to increasing lumbar multifidus thickness in lumbo-pelvic upright sitting.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.159-163
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to determine the interaction among the neck, trunk, and lower extremities on the non-paretic side in head rotation along with non-paretic-side weight shifting of stroke patients. To compare stroke patients' ability to control posture through muscle activity variation related to pertubation during head rotation along with the non-paretic limb. Methods: We tested 15 hemiplegic patients and 15 normal individuals. Each group's muscle activity was measured by electromyography in neutral head position and head rotation position. We compared each group's resu lt based on measured values in patients' non-paretic neck muscles, trunk muscles, and lower limbs muscles activation. Results: The study showed that muscle activity increased in the sternocleidomastoid muscle (102.26%, 53.00%), splenius capitis muscle (97.93%, 54.93%), erector spinae muscle (241.00%, 127.60%), external oblique abdominal muscle (256.66%, 152.00%), and internal oblique abdominal muscle (252.80%, 152.6%), peroneus longus muscle (117.53%, 137.13%) and gastrocnemius muscle (119.06%, 137.20%), while the results for the sternocleidomastoid muscle, splenius capitis muscle, erector spinae muscle, external oblique abdominal muscle, internal oblique abdominal muscle, peroneus longus muscle, and gastrocnemius muscle showed a statistically significant difference (p<0.05). Conclusion: It is hard for stroke patients to engage in normal movement control under suggested conditions because of the insufficient movement against gravity on the stroke patient's non-paretic side and impaired cooperative patterns. To solve these problems, patients need their bodies to improve through effective movement, resulting in advanced control of their effective and functional activity.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.53-62
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• 2016

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a supplementary Ki-hap technique and verbal encouragement on the activation of abdominal muscles during performance of crunch exercise in healthy subjects. METHODS: 93 subjects were randomly allocated to three group, crunch exercise group (CG), crunch exercise with Ki-hap group (CKG), and crunch exercise with Ki-hap and verbal encouragement group (CKVG), with 31 subjects in each group, respectively. The interventions were conducted over three trials in each group, and measurements were performed on each subject by one examiner in three trials. The activation of rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO) muscles were evaluated using electromyography (EMG) during performance of crunch exercise with non-Ki-hap, Ki-hap and Ki-hap combined with verbal encouragement. RESULTS: Our results showed a significantly greater increase in the EMG patterns of all muscles during performance of crunch exercise in the CKG (p<0.05) compared to the CG and CKVG. The results also showed that there were significantly greater increase in the activation of EO and IO muscles in those of the CKVG (p<0.05) compared with the CG. CONCLUSION: These findings demonstrated that addition of the Ki-hap technique and verbal encouragement during performance of crunch exercise, at the same time, would suggest positive evidence for improving activation of abdominal muscles.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2004

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of backrests of varying degrees ($90^{\circ}$, $100^{\circ}$, $110^{\circ}$) on three abdominal muscles (upper rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique) and back extensor activation during lower extremity exercise. The three different conditions during bilateral knee extention exercise were: (1) leaning on a chair with a $90^{\circ}$ backrest, (2) leaning on a chair with a $100^{\circ}$ backrest, (3) leaning on a chair with a $110^{\circ}$ backrest. Fifteen healthy muscle subjects (mean age=24.2 years [SD=2.96], mean height=175.6 cm [SD=7.46], mean weight=69.1 kg [SD=7.36]) with no history of neuromusculoskeletal disease voluntarily participated in this study. Electromyography was used to collect muscle activation, and the muscle activation was expressed as a percentage of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC). Repeated one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to determine the statistical significance. The results were as follows: (1) upper rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique activation measured significantly lower. (2) measured significantly lower when lower degree.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.61-70
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• 2017

Background: Scapular winging is a prominence of the entire scapular medial border, mainly caused by insufficient activity of the serratus anterior (SA) and imbalance of scapulothoracic muscles. Push-up plus (PUP) exercise has been commonly used to increase SA muscle activity. The facilitation of abdominal muscle may affect scapular muscle activity by myofascial connections. Thus, the sequential activation of the turnk muscles is suggested to facilitate the transition of proper force from upper limb and restore force couple of scapular muscles. The abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) has been effective in improving activation of the deep trunk muscles during movement. Objects: The aim of this study was to determine the effect of ADIM on the activity of the upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT), and SA during PUP exercises in subjects with scapular winging. Methods: Fourteen men with scapular winging (determined as a of distance between the scapular medial border and thoracic wall over 3 cm) volunteered for our study. The subjects performed the PUP exercise with and without ADIM. Surface electromyography was used to collect the electromyography data of the UT, LT, and SA. A scapulometer was used to measure the amount of scapular winging. Results: SA activity was significantly greater and scapular winging significantly lower during the PUP exercise with ADIM than during those without ADIM. Conclusion: PUP exercise with ADIM can be used as an beneficial method to improve SA activation and to reduce the amount of scapular winging in subjects with scapular winging.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.215-223
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• 2021

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the contraction ratios of the abdominal muscles and the preferential activation ratios of the transversus abdominis muscle (TrA) during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) in the hook-lying, sitting, and standing positions. Methods: This study included 30 healthy participants. The thicknesses of the TrA, internal oblique muscle (IO), and external oblique muscle (EO) were measured at rest and during the ADIM in the hook-lying, sitting, and standing positions using B-mode ultrasound imaging. The contraction ratios of these muscles and the preferential activation ratios of the TrA were calculated for each position. Results: The contraction ratio of the TrA and preferential activation ratio of the TrA during the ADIM in the hook-lying position were significantly higher than those in the sitting and standing positions (p < 0.05). The contraction ratio of the TrA during the ADIM in the sitting position was significantly higher than that in the standing position (p < 0.05). Conclusion: The hook-lying position tended to facilitate TrA activity better than the sitting position. Furthermore, the sitting position tended to facilitate TrA activity better than the standing position. These findings suggest that the ADIM in the hook-lying position should be implemented before that in the sitting position and that the ADIM in the sitting position should be implemented before that in the standing position.