Characteristics of electromyographic activity during yoga-applied stabilization exercises

Yoga exercise is widely performed as a treatment of low back pain and performance enhancement. Some yoga exercises are applied from general stabilization exercise (GSE) such as bridge exercises. The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activity during various types of GSE and yoga-applied stabilization exercise (YSE), and clarify characteristics of activity pattern during YSE.

Fourteen healthy men participated in the study. We recorded muscle activity from the trapezius, trunk, and lower limb muscles using surface electromyography. The participants performed 5 front bridge exercises (elbow-knee, elbow-toe, high-plank, up-dog, down-dog), 2 back bridge exercises, 2 side bridge exercises, and 2 adductor side bridge exercises. The muscle activity was compared between GSE and YSE.

In comparison of muscle activity during the front bridge exercises, elbow-toe and down-dog produced the higher activation in the external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), gluteus medius (Gmed), and rectus femoris than the other exercises. The activities of the upper trapezius, lower trapezius (LTZ), erector spinae, EO, and IO during Y-back bridge (Y-; indicating yoga exercise) showed significantly higher than during back bridge. Y-adductor side bridge produced significantly higher activation in the LTZ, IO, gluteus maximum, and Gmed than adductor side bridge.

The results of front bridge exercise showed that down-dog enhanced the activity of abdominal and anterior hip muscles as well as elbow-toe. Furthermore, YSE activated more the trapezius, trunk, and gluteus muscles than GSE during the back bridge and adductor side bridge.