• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.231-238
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• 2013

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to find out the thickness variation of the superficial and deep abdominal muscles by measuring the thickness of the abdominal muscles. METHODS: 35 young, healthy adults(24 mens and 11 womens) participated in this study. The first, when only bridge exercise we had measured the thickness of their abdominal muscles by the ultrasound. The second, when the abdominal drawing-in during maintaining the bridge exercise we had measured the thickness of their abdominal muscles by the ultrasound. A pared t-test was used to determine a statistical significance for the thickness variation of the superficial and deep abdominal muscles. RESULTS: Results of before and after comparative analysis. The surperficial muscles(rectus abdominis, external obilique) statistically significantly reduced in the thickness and the deep muscle(transeverse abdominis) statistically significantly increased in the thickness. CONCLUSION: We have shown that the abdominal drawing-in exercise during maintaining the bridge exercise was effective to increase in strengthening abdominal deep muscle selectively.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.37-43
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• 2009

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of core stability training at deep abdominal muscle for balance control of hemiplegic patient. Method : The subject of this study was a 47-year-old man with right hemiplegia. He was treated five times a week for three weeks with core stability training at deep abdominal muscles. Evaluation tool was used Functional reach test(FRT), timed up and go test(TUG) and one leg standing for stroke patients. Result : The FRT distance increase, TUG time decrease, one leg standing time increase core stability training at deep abdominal muscles for right hemiplegia improved was the ability for maintain balance. Posture and control of trunk stability are changing posture, and so which showed significant improve of total balance control. Conclusion : The result of this study showed that core stability training at deep abdominal muscles is an effective treatment for balance control. Therefore, it could be considered as a treatment method in the rehabilitation of stroke patient with poor postural control and imbalance, although further studies are needed.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.7-12
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• 2010

Purpose: This study investigated changes in the thickness of the transversus abdominis (TrA), internal abdominal oblique (IO), and external abdominal oblique (EO) muscles between crook lying and wall support standing positions during abdominal hollowing (AH), using ultrasound imaging. Methods: Experiments were conducted on 20 healthy male adults (mean age=$22.45{\pm}4.08$ years) who voluntarily agreed to participate in the experiments. The changes in the thickness of the subjects' abdominal muscles were measured during AH in crook lying and wall support standing positions. Results: The difference in the thickness of TrA between the two positions during AH was statistically significant, but the differences in the thicknesses of IO and EO were not significant. Conclusion: Activity of the TrA, which is a deep muscle, was stimulated in the standing position, which is, therefore, more functional than the crook position, but the activities of IO and EO muscles did not decrease. Therefore, various methods to induce the activity of TrA while decreasing the activities of IO and EO, in the functional standing position that can stimulate deep muscles, need to be designed.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.295-300
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to determine whether the abdominal muscles, which are the major lumbar stabilizers along with the respiratory muscles, are affected by smoking. We compared abdominal muscle activity between smokers and non-smokers during the sit-to-stand movement. Methods: A total of 28 healthy adult males (14 smokers and 14 non-smokers) in their 20s-30s voluntarily participated in the study. The subjects performed the sit-to-stand movement, and then their abdominal muscle activity was measured. The surface electromyography system was employed to measure the maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) values of the subjects' rectus abdominis, external oblique abdominal, internal oblique abdominal, and transversus abdominis muscles. Then, the values were quantified into %MVIC. Results: The activity of the rectus abdominis muscle was higher in the smokers than in the non-smokers. Conversely, the activity of the internal oblique abdominal and transversus abdominis muscles, which are deep abdominal muscles, was higher in non-smokers than in smokers, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: Smoking can inhibit the activity of smokers' deep abdominal muscles and increase the activity of their superficial muscles, thus making it detrimental to their musculoskeletal system.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.321-329
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• 2021

Purpose: The abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM) is an exercise that selectively strengthens deep abdominal muscles. It is reported to be effective in strengthening those muscles when using a pressure biofeedback unit. However, multiple factors of bridge exercise seem to bring exercise result of ADIM without stabilizer as they influence execution of ADIM. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare changes in the thickness of deep abdominal muscles through the ADIM exercise incorporating either a stabilizer or the bridge exercise. Methods: Thirty healthy adults who had voluntarily given their consent were selected as the subjects. A diagnostic sonograph was used to measure the thickness of the subjects' transverse abdominis, internal oblique, and external oblique muscles. First, the thickness of the subjects' deep abdominal muscle was measured while maintaining the ADIM using the stabilizer. After three minutes of rest, the thickness was measured again while the subjects maintained the ADIM with the bridge exercise. Results: In both exercises, the thickness of the transverse abdominis showed a statistically significant increase, with a more significant increase while executing the ADIM using the bridge exercise. In both exercises, the thickness of the internal oblique showed a statistically significant increase, with a more significant increase while executing the ADIM using the bridge exercise. The thickness of the external oblique showed a statistically significant increase only in the ADIM using the bridge exercise. Conclusion: Though strengthening is not as selective as the ADIM using a stabilizer, the ADIM using the bridge exercise has a more increased thickness of the transverse abdominis and the internal oblique than that of the internal oblique. Based on the outcome of this study, the ADIM using the bridge exercise without a stabilizer can selectively strengthen deep abdominal muscles even more.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.10 no.4
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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.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.42-52
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• 2019

Background: Whole body-electromyostimulation (WB-EMS) is widely used for the rehabilitation and recovery of patients with various neuromusculoskeletal disorders. Objects: To objectively measure changes in lower extremity and abdominal muscles after sit-to-stand dynamic movement training using WB-EMS. Methods: A total of 46 healthy adults (23 experimental and 23 control subjects) performed sit-to-stand exercise; the experimental group with WB-EMS, and the control group without WB-EMS. The muscle activity of the lower extremity, and the muscle thickness of the lower extremity and abdominal muscles were measured before and after the intervention. Results: In terms of electromyographic activity, there was a significant interaction effect for the rectus femoris (RF) muscle (F=30.212, p=.000). With regards to ultrasonographic imaging, the muscle thickness of the RF muscle had a significant interaction effect at the muscle contraction ratio (F=8.071, p=.007). The deep abdominal muscles, such as the transverse abdominal (TrA) and internal oblique (IO) muscles, also showed significant interaction effects at the muscle contraction ratio (F=5.474, p=.024, F=24.151, p=.000, respectively). Conclusion: These findings suggest that WB-EMS may help to improve the muscular activity of the RF muscle, and the muscle thickness of the RF muscle and deep muscles such as the TrA and IO muscles.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.9-15
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine contraction of abdominal muscles on surface electromyographic (EMG) activity of superficial cervical flexors, rib cage elevation and angle of craniocervical flexion during deep cervical flexion exercise in supine position. Fifteen healthy subjects were participated for this study. All subjects performed deer cervical flexion exercise with two methods. The positions of two methods were no volitional contraction of abdominal muscles in hook-lying position with 45 degree hip flexion (method 1) and 90 degrees hip and knee flexion with feet off floor for inducing abdominal muscle contraction (method 2). Surface EMG activities were recorded from five muscles (sternocleidmastoid, anterior scaleneus, recuts abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique). And distance of rib cage elevation and angle of craniocervical flexion were measured using a three dimensional motion analysis system. The EMG activity of each muscle was normalized to the value of reference voluntary contraction (%RVC). The EMG activities, distance of rib cage elevation. and angle of craniocervical were compared using a paired t-test between two methods. The results showed that the EMG activities of sternocleidmastoid and anterior scaleneus during deep cervical flexion exercise in method 2 were significantly decreased compared to method 1 (p<.05). Distance of rib cage elevation and angle of craniocervical flexion were significantly decreased in method 2 (p<.05). The findings of this study indicated that deep cervical flexion exercise with contraction of abdominal muscles could be an effective method to prevent substitute motion for rib cage elevation and contraction of superficial neck flexor muscles.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.38-45
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• 2013

This study was conducted in order to examine whether abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM) with isometric shoulder flexion, extension, adduction, and abduction selectively contracted deep abdominal muscles. This study's subjects were 13 males 17 females. In order to evaluate the comparison of effects of ADIM and ADIM with isometric shoulder flexion, extension, adduction and abduction, measurements were made on transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) using a real-time ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system. Each position was repetitively measured three times with a real-time ultrasonic diagnostic imaging system and their mean values were used for analysis. The ADIM with isometric shoulder flexion, extension, adduction and abduction significantly increased the thickness of TrA relative to the ADIM only (p<.05). The ADIM with isometric shoulder abduction significantly increased the thickness of IO compared to the ADIM only (p<.05). The ADIM with isometric shoulder extension and abduction significantly decreased the thickness of EO compared to the ADIM only and the ADIM with isometric shoulder extension significantly decreased the thickness of EO relative to the ADIM with isometric shoulder adduction (p<.05). ADIM with isometric shoulder abduction is an effective method to selectively strengthen deep abdominal muscles and therefore may be employed as an intervention for trunk stabilization.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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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.