• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.6 no.1
• /
• pp.1-6
• /
• 2017

Objective: There are many types of exercises with upper and lower-limb action for activation of abdominal muscles for trunk stabilization. A comparison of the different exercise methods been very useful to enhance the result from the exercise for treatment. The purpose of this study was to investigate through surface electromyography (EMG) the changes in abdominal muscle activity during the performance of three different dead-bug exercise methods performed at three different speeds. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The subjects were 30 healthy adults (13 males and 17 females). We instructed the subjects to perform three different dead-bug exercises. We also applied three different speeds to the dead-bug exercises; 60 bpm, 90 bpm, and 120 bpm with use of a metronome. The assessment of EMG was percentage of maximal voluntary isometric contraction on the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO). Results: EMG activation of the RA, EO and IO muscles was significantly greater at the higher speed (p<0.05). There was a significant increase in abdominal muscle activity during the dead-bug exercise performed with both the upper and lower extremities compared to that with only the upper extremity or the lower extremities (p<0.05). Conclusions: These findings demonstrate that the performance of the dead-bug exercise with both the upper and lower extremities combined at a high speed is more effective compared to other exercises. Therefore, it is suggested that more favourable and effective outcomes may occur when the type and speed of the exercise is chosen appropriately.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.27 no.6
• /
• pp.419-424
• /
• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of lumbar stabilization exercise on the abdominal muscle-back muscle ratio in white-collar workers. Methods: Forty white-collar workers without any pain who worked at an information technology (IT) company located in the Gyeonggi province were included in this study. Of these, 20 subjects were randomly allocated to the lumbar stabilization exercise group, whereas the remaining 20 were randomly allocated to the control group. The lumbar stabilization exercise group performed a 40-minute-long exercise once a week for 8 weeks. The strength of the abdominal and back muscles was measured using the CENTAUR 3-D Spatial Rotation Device (BFMC, Germany). Data analysis was conducted using SPSS 18.0 for Windows. The Paired t-test was performed to compare the values measured before and after exercise within each group. The independent sample t-test was performed to analyze the differences between the 2 groups. The statistical significance for all the analyses was set at .05. Results: The strength of the abdominal muscles after the exercise significantly differed between the lumbar stabilization exercise group and the control group (p<0.05). However, the increase in the abdominal muscle-back muscle ratio was significant in only the lumbar stabilization exercise group (p<0.05), but not in the control group (p>0.05). Conclusion: The improvement of the abdominal muscle-back muscle ratio through lumbar stabilization exercise may have positive effects on lumbar stabilization. Moreover, lumbar stabilization exercise is considered beneficial for the prevention of back pain and musculoskeletal diseases.

• PNF and Movement
• /
• v.15 no.1
• /
• pp.51-56
• /
• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the PNF stabilization technique for the hip joint and the bridging exercise on the trunk stabilizer muscles in healthy adults. Methods: Twenty-eight healthy adults were randomly allocated to either a PNF stabilization exercise group (n = 12) or a bridging exercise group (n = 16). The outcome measures included the contraction thickness ratio in the transversus abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO), and the TrA lateral slide was assessed during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver using b-mode ultrasound. The researcher measured the abdominal muscle thickness of each participant before the therapist began the intervention and at the moment that the intervention was applied. Between-group comparisons were performed using the Mann-Whitney U test. The level of statistical significance was set at 0.05. Results: The PNF intervention program showed a significant increase in the trunk stabilizer muscle. The percentage of change in the TrA thickness showed a significant interaction between intervention. However, there were no significant differences in the IO and EO between the two groups. Conclusion: The PNF stabilization technique for the hip joint can be used effectively to improve the IO and TrA muscles in healthy adults.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.354-358
• /
• 2020

Purpose: This study aimed to verify the effects of bridge exercise with resistance to one hip joint adductor muscle on the thickness of external and internal oblique abdominal muscles, transversus abdominis muscle, and erector spinae muscle. Methods: The subjects were divided into two exercise groups: 15 for Bridge Exercise Group (BEG) and 15 for One Hip joint Adduction Bridge Exercise Group (OHABEG). The study used an ultrasonic instrument to measure trunk muscle thickness. OHABEG performed a bridge exercise with one hip Joint adduction. BEG performed a bridge exercise without resistance. Results: The external oblique abdominal, internal oblique abdominal, and the transversus abdominis muscles showed a significant increase by period and time in intra-group interactions (p<0.05), while there was no significant difference in inter-group changes (p>0.05). The erector spinae muscle had a significant increase in each period (p<0.05) but no significant difference in time, intra-group interactions, and in inter-group changes (p>0.05). Conclusion: These results demonstrated that bridge exercise with one hip joint adduction had positive effects on trunk muscle thickness. These results confirm that a bridge exercise with one hip joint adduction has a positive effect on the muscle thickness of trunk, suggesting the possibility of using it as a rehabilitation treatment for a lumbar stabilization exercise and as a basic data.

• Physical Therapy Korea
• /
• v.18 no.1
• /
• pp.9-17
• /
• 2011

The purpose of this study was to assess visual biofeedback's influence on trunk muscles' (EMG) activity and endurance holding time for correct position during whole-body tilt exercise. For the study, we recruited 14 volunteers who showed no symptom of lumbar disease during medical tests. We measured the EMG activity of their rectus abdominis, external abdominal oblique, internal abdominal oblique and erector spinae muscles, and their endurance holding time for correct position during $40^{\circ}$ anterior and posterior whole-body tilt under two conditions: whole-body tilt with and without visual biofeedback. Resistance with gravitational force on the trunk during whole-body tilt was applied by using a device that had a monitor on which the subjects could check their alignment and that sounded an alarm if a subject's alignment collapsed. The study showed an increase in the EMG activity of external abdominal oblique, internal abdominal oblique/rectus abdominis ratio and endurance holding time for correct position during both $40^{\circ}$ anterior and posterior whole-body tilt with visual biofeedback compared with without visual biofeedback (p<.05). We suggest that the whole-body tilt exercise with visual biofeedback could be a beneficial strategy for selectively strengthening the internal abdominal oblique muscle and minimizing the rectus abdominis muscle's activity while maintaining correct alignment during whole-body tilt exercise.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
• /
• v.20 no.4
• /
• pp.415-420
• /
• 2010

The purpose of this study was to compare the thickness of the abdominal muscles during single leg holding exercise (SLH) in a hooked lying position on stable surface and on a foam roller. Healthy twenty subjects who had no medical history of lower extremity or lower back pain were recruited for this study. Muscle thickness of transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) was recorded using real-time ultrasonography during SLH. Paired t-test with Bonferroni adjustment was used to compare the muscles thickness during SLH on stable surface and on a foam roller. The result showed that TrA and IO muscle demonstrated greater thickness during SLH on foam roller than those on the stable surface. This finding suggests that SLH on an unstable foam roller is more effective to increase thicknesses of TrA and IO muscles than stable surface.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.9 no.4
• /
• pp.183-190
• /
• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of side planks on the muscle thickness of the core muscles, external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominis, and this study was conducted to compare whether side plank exercise according to the application of various unstable support surfaces increases the thickness by activating the action of the muscles. Methods : The subjects of this study were 30 healthy adults and were randomly and equally assigned to three groups by a random number table. All subjects were divided into three groups according to the application of an unstable support surface during the side plank(Group A = stable support, Group B = one unstable support, Group C = two unstable supports). The side plank exercise was performed 30 minutes a day, 3 times a week for a total of 4 weeks. The muscle thickness of the core muscle was measured before the intervention, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, and 3 times in total. All measured data were comparatively analyzed by repeated measures ANOVA and one-way ANOVA. The statistical significance level was set to .05. Results : The results of this study were as follows : 1. All muscles showed an interaction between training period and group. 2. There was a significant difference between the groups at the 2 weeks and 4 weeks of the internal oblique and transverse abdominis muscle measurements. Conclusion : The thickness of the abdominal muscle increased during the side plank exercise according to the support surface, and the thickness of the abdominal muscle increased the most during the side plank exercise on the unstable support surface. Therefore, it is thought that the addition of an unstable support surface will provide a more effective therapeutic effect on the thickness change of the abdominal muscle during side plank exercise.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.245-252
• /
• 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.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.81-89
• /
• 2022

Purpose : Kegel exercises reported that it is effective in managing stress-related or complex urinary incontinence through contraction and relaxation of the pelvic floor muscles. In many previous studies, it was confirmed that Kegel exercise is involved in respiration as well as urinary system diseases. However, there is a lack of research on the effect of pelvic setting when performing Kegel exercises. Therefore, this study was conducted to investigate the effect on maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) and abdominal muscle thickness through Kegel exercise after lumbar-pelvic motor control using pressure biofeedback unit (PBU). Methods : The subjects of this study were 10 healthy female students in their 20s. Subjects measured MVV with a spirometer. In hooklying, external oblique, internal oblique, and transverse abdominis of the dominant hand were measured using ultrasound. The measured value was an average of three times. After one week of intervention, measurements were made in the same manner. Before Kegel exercise, pelvic setting training was performed using PBU. In hooklying, PBU was placed in the waist and set to 40 mmHg, and it was adjusted to 60 mmHg through pelvic muscle contraction. For Kegel exercise, the pelvis was first set using PBU, and then the pelvic floor muscles were contracted for 8 seconds and relaxed for 8 seconds, 10 times, 1 set, and 3 sets. Results : In MVV, a significant difference was confirmed after exercise than before exercise (p<.05). There was also a significant difference in abdominal muscle thickness before and after exercise (p<.05). Conclusion : Based on the results of this study, Kegel exercise using PBU had an effect on MVV and abdominal muscle thickness. However, since this study was conducted without a control group as a preliminary study, additional research should be conducted to supplement this.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
• /
• v.5 no.4
• /
• pp.210-214
• /
• 2016

Objective: The aim of this study was to measure the muscle architectural parameters of abdominal muscles in healthy individuals by rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) and to investigate their changes after bridging exercise in various environments. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The study included 40 healthy participants (19 men, 21 women). Subjects were randomly allocated to a stable surface group (SG, n=20) or an unstable surface group (UG, n=20). The participants assumed three positions in rest, bridging exercise with knee flexion $60^{\circ}$, and bridging exercise with knee flexion $90^{\circ}$ for the measurement of abdominal muscle thickness by RUSI. For the resting position, the participants held the head neutral in a hook-lying position and the dominant side was measured. For contraction, the participants performed the bridging exercise with the knee joint in $60^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$ of flexion for 10 seconds each. Results: For transversus abdominis, external oblique muscle thickness, within the stable surface group and the unstable surface group, no significant contraction difference was observed in both the $60^{\circ}$ and $90^{\circ}$ bridge exercise conditions. Contraction difference of internal oblique muscle was significantly larger at $90^{\circ}$ than at $60^{\circ}$ within the SG (p<0.05). But within the UG, no significant contraction difference was shown. There was no significant contraction difference between the surface group and the unstable SG at $60^{\circ}$ condition and at $90^{\circ}$ condition in all measured muscles. Conclusions: The contraction difference is different for each muscle during bridge exercise with knee flexion $60^{\circ}$ and bridging exercise with knee flexion $90^{\circ}$. Muscle contraction difference is generally large when exercised on an unstable surface than a stable surface, but these are not statistically significant when bridging exercise is performed using dynamic air cushion for unstable surface.