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Trunk muscle activity in healthy subjects during bridging stabilization exercises
Veerle K Stevens1, Katie G Bouche, Nele N Mahieu
1Department of Rehabilitation Sciences and Physiotherapy, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Ghent University, Belgium. Veerle.Stevens@UGent.be
BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders
|September 22, 2006
Summary
Bridging exercises show specific muscle activation patterns for trunk stabilization. The rectus abdominis has minimal activity, while obliques and back muscles activate similarly, adjusting based on exercise difficulty.
Area of Science:
- Biomechanics
- Exercise Physiology
- Rehabilitation Science
Background:
- Trunk bridging exercises are crucial for lumbopelvic stabilization.
- Optimal muscle coordination, with specific ratios between local and global muscle activity, is assumed essential for therapeutic effectiveness.
- Current literature lacks detailed descriptions of these muscle activity ratios during bridging exercises.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate relative muscle activity levels during bridging exercises.
- To determine the ratios of local to global trunk muscle activity during these exercises.
- To quantify muscle activation patterns in healthy individuals during various bridging tasks.
Main Methods:
- Thirty healthy university students (15 males, 15 females) participated.
- Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to evaluate trunk muscle activity.
- Participants performed three bridging variations: single, ball, and unilateral bridging.
Main Results:
- A high ratio of internal oblique to rectus abdominis activity was observed, with minimal rectus abdominis activation.
- The internal/external abdominal oblique activity ratio was generally around 1, increasing to 2.79 during unilateral bridging.
- Back muscles exhibited similar relative activity levels, with ratios around 1 across all exercises.
Conclusions:
- The findings align with other trunk stabilization exercises, highlighting minimal rectus abdominis activity and high internal oblique engagement.
- Abdominal oblique muscle activity ratios vary with task demands, suggesting adaptation for stability.
- Similar activation patterns in back muscles support their consistent role in controlling spine position and movement during bridging in healthy individuals.
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