• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.7-14
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• 2022

Purposed: This study was conducted to find out by ultrasonic waves the thickness change of the deep abdominal muscles, such as transverse abdominal, internal oblique and external oblique when performing general bridge exercise on the stable surface (GBE), single-legged bridge exercise on the stable surface (BES), bridge exercise with a sling (SBE) and single-legged bridge exercise with a sling (SBS). Methods: The subject, 33 healthy adults(18 men and 15 women) in their 20s of V university in J city were subjected to take four postures of GBE, BES, SBE, and SBS. When performing each posture, the thickness of transverse abdominal, internal oblique and external oblique were measured by ultrasonic waves and analyzed by repeated measures of ANOVA. This significance level was set to be p<.05. Results: Muscle thickness was increased in the order of BES, SBE, and GBE in the external oblique, resulting in statistically significant differences(p<.001). The internal oblique was significantly thicker in SBE and SBS rather than in GBE, and was thicker in SBE and SBS rather than in BES (p<.01). The thickness of the transverse abdominal was significantly increased in SBS than in GBE (p<.01). Conclusion: As the result, it may be more effective for the trunk stabilization exercises to activate the internal oblique and transverse abdominal by applying both-legged or single-legged bridge exercise in slings.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.91-98
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• 2019

Background: The bridge exercise targets the gluteus maximus (Gmax) and gluteus medius (Gmed). However, there is also a risk of dominant hamstring (HAM) and erector spinae (ES) muscles. Objects: To analyze the muscle activity the of Gmax, Gmed, HAM and ES during the bridge exercise with and without hip external rotation in different degrees of knee flexion. Methods: Twenty-three subjects were participated. The electormyography (EMG) activity of the Gmax, Gmed, HAM and ES muscles was recorded during the exercise. The subjects performed the bridge exercise under four different conditions: (a) with $90^{\circ}$ knee flexion, without hip external rotation (b) with $90^{\circ}$ knee flexion, with hip external rotation (c) with $135^{\circ}$ knee flexion, without hip external rotation (d) with $135^{\circ}$ knee flexion, with hip external rotation. Results: There was no significant interaction effect between the degree of knee flexion and hip external rotation. There was a significant main effect for degree of knee flexion in Gmax, HAM muscles activity. Gmax muscle activity was significantly greater in the $135^{\circ}$ knee flexion position than in the $90^{\circ}$ knee flexion position (p<.001). While HAM muscle activity was significantly less in $135^{\circ}$ knee flexion position than in the $90^{\circ}$ knee flexion position (p<.001). ES muscle activity was significantly less in the $135^{\circ}$ knee flexion position than in the $90^{\circ}$ knee flexion position (p=.002). The activity of both the Gmax and Gmed muscles was significantly greater with hip external rotation (p<.001 and p=.005, respectively). Conclusion: For patients performing the bridge exercise, positioning the knee in $135^{\circ}$ of flexion with hip external rotation is effective for improving Gmax and Gmed muscle activity while decreasing HAM, and ES muscle activity.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.70-77
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• 2016

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the activation of trunk and gluteal muscles during bridge exercises with a sling (BS), single-legged bridge exercise with a sling (SBS), single-legged bridge exercise (SB), and general bridge exercise (GB). Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty-five healthy participants (19 males and 6 females, aged 27.8 [4.78]) voluntarily participated in this study. In the bridging exercise, each subject lifted their pelvis with their legs and feet in contact with the sling or normal surface. The electrical activities of the erector spinae (ES), gluteus maximus (GM), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO) muscles during the bridging exercises on the 2 surfaces were measured using surface electromyography. Subjects practiced each of the four bridge condition three times in random order and average values were obtained. Results: On the ipsilateral side, activities of the IO, EO, and ES during SBS was significantly higher than those during BS, SB, and GB (p<0.05). Activities of the IO and EO during SB was significantly higher than those during BS and GB (p<0.05). On the contralateral side, activities of the GM and EO during SB and SBS was significantly higher than that during BS and GB (p<0.05). These results verify the theory that the use of sling and single leg lift increases the activation trunk and gluteal muscles during bridging exercises. Conclusions: The single-legged bridge exercise with a sling can be recommended as an effective method to facilitate trunk and gluteal muscle activities.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.145-153
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• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze whether there are changes in muscle elasticity when resistance using an elastic band is present or absent during a bridge exercise on an unstable surface with a gymball. Methods : Eighteen healthy adult college students attending E University in Gyeonggi-do, who voluntarily agreed to participate were included in this study. The subjects were instructed to perform the bridge exercise using a gymball both without resistance and with resistance using an elastic band. Myoton was used during the exercise to measure the elasticity of the rectus abdominis and biceps femoris muscles. Results : There was a significant difference in the stiffness of the rectus abdominis muscle on both sides before and after using the elastic band (p<.05). however, no significant difference was observed in the biceps femoris on either side (p>.05). Based on the evaluation of the frequency before and after using the elastic band, no significant difference was observed between the rectus abdominis and biceps femoris muscles on both sides (p>.05). The logarithmic decrement was significantly different in the right rectus abdominis muscle (p<.05), and there was no significant difference in the left rectus abdominis and both biceps femoris (p>.05). Conclusion : Resistance exercise using an elastic band is more effective in improving elasticity of the rectus abdominis muscle than without a elastic band during bridge exercise with a gymball.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2023

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to find out which exercise is more effective for the activation of the trunk, when the suspension plank and modified bridge exercise are performed. Weakening of the trunk muscles can lead to secondary injuries such as back injuries. In order to prevent injury, trunk muscles must be strengthened, and representative trunk strengthening exercises include planks and bridges. Each has been developed with a modified method, but since there is no paper comparing which exercise is more effective for trunk muscle strength, it was written to compare the two exercises. METHODS: The subjects were a random sample of 30 healthy men who agreed to participate in the study. The subjects were divided into two groups of 15 people each, and the suspension plank and the modified bridge exercise were performed for six weeks. The thickness of the transverse abdominis (TrA), internal abdominal oblique (IO), external abdominal oblique (EO), rectus abdominis (RA), multifidus (MF) was measured before and after the exercise. The two groups were analyzed using an independent t-test and paired t-test to compare the muscle thickness and the difference before and after exercise. RESULTS: The trunk muscle thickness was increased in both groups with suspension plank and modified bridge exercise, and there was a statistically significant difference. When comparing the two groups, the suspension plank group also showed a significant difference in RA (p<.05). CONCLUSION: As a result of this study, suspension plank exercise can have a positive effect on activating the trunk muscles and strengthening the strength of RA. Therefore, it is considered that suspension plank exercise is a more effective intervention to strengthen trunk muscle than modified bridge exercise.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2017

PURPOSE: This study assessed the effect of the pelvic compression belt on the electromyographic activity of erector spinae (ES), internal oblique (IO), rectus femoris (RF), and biceps femoris (BF) after bridge exercise with pelvic belt compression in subjects with lumbar instability. METHODS: Forty subjects with lumbar instability volunteered for this study. We asked them to perform the bridge exercise while wearing a pelvic belt compression for 30 minutes five times weekly over a six week period. The pelvic compression belt was adjusted just below the anterior superior iliac spines with stabilizing pressure using elastic compression bands during bridge position. Surface electromyographic data were collected from the erector spinae (ES), internal oblique (IO), rectus femoris (RF) and biceps femoris (BF). RESULTS: After the six week intervention, the experimental group improved significantly. Muscle activation significantly decreased in the erector spinae, rectus femoris, and biceps femoris, and increased in the internal oblique muscle in bridge position while wearing a PCB (P <.01). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that the bridge exercise with pelvic belt compression is helpful to reduce activation in superficial muscles and lower extremity muscles such as erector spinae (ES), rectus femoris (RF), biceps femoris (BF) and increase activation in deep trunk muscle such as the internal oblique (IO).

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.72-77
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• 2018

Objective: This study aimed to compare the effects of core exercise methods on muscle activation and muscle thickness in healthy young adults and to propose effective core exercise methods. Design: Three-group pretest-posttest design. Methods: A total of 30 healthy young adults (14 males, 16 females) voluntarily participated in the study. Subjects were randomized to the prone plank exercise (n=10), reverse plank exercise (n=10), or bridge exercise (n=10) groups. Muscle activity and thickness of the rectus abdominis (RA), multifidus (MF), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO) muscles were measured using surface electromyography and ultrasound. Subjects from each group participated in the exercises five times a week, with five 20-second sets during week 1. The set time was increased by 10 seconds per week. Results: Muscle activity and thickness in the prone plank, reverse plank, and bridge exercise group were statistically significant different for RA, MF, EO, and IO changes over time, and interaction between time and groups were also significantly different (p<0.05). We analyzed statistically significant differences between groups using a one-way analysis of variance for each period. A significant difference was observed after 4 weeks of exercise (p<0.05). Conclusions: The results suggest that the prone plank exercise is a beneficial method for enhancing muscle activation and thickness of the RA, EO, and IO compared to the reverse plank and bridge exercises. On the other hand, the reverse plank and bridge exercises are effective methods for enhancing the MF compared to the prone plank exercise.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.12-20
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• 2022

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the changes of trunk and lower extremity muscle activity according to the compensation of arm during bridge movement of healthy subject. Design: Cross-sectional Study. Methods: Twenty healthy subjects participated in this study. The subjects performed bridge exercise with 3 different arm positions(arm abduction 45°, 90° and cross-arms) and measured the muscle activity of the trunk and lower extrimity. During bridge exercise with 3 different arm positions, trunk (rectus abdominis, erector spinae) and lower extrimity muscle activity (gluteus medius, biceps femoris, tibialis anterior) were measured using wireless surface EMG. Results: Rectus abdominis and gluteus medius muscle were most activated during bridge exercise with arm abduction 90° and erector spinae and biceps femoris muscle were most activated during bridge exercise with arm abduction 45°. In addition, tibialis anterior muscle was most activated during bridge exercise with arm cross. However, these difference in muscle activity according to the arm position was not statistically significant. Conclusion: As a result of this study, we think that the change in arm position does not induce sufficient instability to increase the muscle activity of the trunk and lower extremity muscles. Therefore, various approaches for inducing instability of the support surface for increasing muscle activity when applying bridge movement in clinical practice should be explored.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.297-302
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• 2016

Purpose: This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of bridge exercise on the structural characteristics of trunk muscles in patients with lumbar pain by applying the exercise on either a stable or an unstable surface. Methods: Thirty subjects participated in the experiment and were randomly divided into an unstable bridge exercise group (UBEG) and a stable bridge exercise group (SBEG). The exercise program for each group was conducted three times a week over a six-week period. The structural characteristics of trunk muscles were measured by obtaining images using an ultrasound imaging device. Results: The thicknesses of the external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), and transverse abdominis (TrA) and the fiber angle of the erector spinae (ES) in the UBEG and the SBEG showed statistically significant increases in all items measured after the experiment. A comparison of groups conducted after the experiment to determine the effects of the exercise on each group showed no significant differences between groups for any of the measured items. Conclusion: A comprehensive review of the study results showed statistically significant increases in the thicknesses of the EO, IO, and TrA and the fiber angle of ES in both the UBEG and the SBEG. While the comparison of the groups with respect to the effects of the exercise revealed no significant differences, there were relatively larger effects in the UBEG than in the SBEG.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.14-19
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• 2017

Objective: To investigate the effect of performing three different bridge exercise conditions on the activities of four different muscles using surface electromyography (sEMG) in healthy young adults. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: A total of 20 healthy young adults (10 males, 10 females) voluntarily participated in this study. All subjects randomly performed three different bridge conditions as follows: general bridge exercise, isometric hip abduction (IHAB) with a blue Theraband (Hygenic Corp., USA), and isometric hip adduction (IHAD) with a Swiss ball (Hygenic Corp.). The muscle activities of bilateral erector spinae (ES), gluteus maximus (GM), biceps femoris (BF), and external oblique (EO) muscles during the bridge exercises were measured using sEMG. Subjects performed each of the three bridge conditions three times in random order and mean values were obtained. Results: For bilateral ES and BF, there was a significant increase in muscle activity in the IHAD condition compared to the general bridge and IHAB condition (p<0.05). For bilateral GM, there was a significant increase in muscle activity in the IHAB condition compared to the general bridge condition (p<0.05) and there was a significant increase in muscle activity in the IHAB condition compared to IHAD condition (p<0.05). For left EO, a significant increase was observed in the IHAD condition compared to the general bridge condition (p<0.05). Conclusions: ES and BF muscle activity increases were observed with hip adduction and increased GM activity was observed with hip abduction. These findings may be applicable within the clinical field for selective trunk and lower extremity muscle activation and advanced rehabilitation purposes.