Immediate Effects of Stabilization Exercises on Trunk Muscle Activity during Jump Header Shooting: A Pilot Study

This study aimed to clarify trunk muscle activity during jump header shooting and examine the immediate effects of trunk stabilization exercises on trunk muscle activity. Nineteen males who had played soccer for over 5 years were assigned to either the trunk stabilization exercise group or the control group. Muscle activity during jump header shooting was measured before and after intervention. The intervention in the trunk stabilization exercise group was trunk muscle training, whereas that in the control group was sitting. The phases of jump header shooting and the effects of the interventions were compared. In pre-intervention measurements, the internal oblique activity during the push-off phase and early floating phase was significantly greater than that during the late floating phase (p < 0.01667). In pre-intervention measurements, the muscle activity of the internal oblique increased from the push-off phase, prior to the increase in muscle activity of the rectus abdominis and external oblique, whereas the muscle activity of all abdominal muscles increased immediately after take-off. The trunk stabilization exercise intervention decreased the muscle activity of the erector spinae (p < 0.05). There seems to be a certain activation sequence in the abdominals during jump header shooting, and a single application of stabilization exercises could possibly reduce the activation of the back muscles.