Comparison of Muscle Activity Using Unstable Devices During a Forward Lunge

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (4) ◽  
pp. 394-399
Author(s):  
Lucinda E. Bouillon ◽  
Michael Hofener ◽  
Andrew O’Donnel ◽  
Amanda Milligan ◽  
Craig Obrock

Context: Unstable devices in various forms are used as therapeutic adjuncts for prevention or following an injury. A slip-over-the-shoe design with inflatable domes (STEPRIGHT® Stability Trainer) was developed to improve balance. It is unknown how this unstable device affects muscle activity during a closed-chain exercise such as the forward lunge. Objective: To compare muscle activity across 3 surfaces (STEPRIGHT®, Both Sides Up [BOSU®] Balance Trainer, and firm) during a forward lunge. Design: Within-subject, repeated measures. Setting: University physical therapy research laboratory. Participants: A total of 20 healthy, recreationally active subjects (23.4 [1.47] y, 172.7 [14.7] cm, 71.6 [16.8] kg). Intervention: Each subject performed 1 set of 10 repetitions of forward lunge exercise in random order with STEPRIGHT®, BOSU®, and firm surface. Main Outcome Measures: Surface electromyography data, normalized to maximum voluntary isometric contractions (%MVIC), was used to assess muscle activity on rectus femoris, vastus medialis oblique (VMO), biceps femoris, lateral gastrocnemius, fibularis longus, and tibialis anterior. Results: The repeated-measures analysis of variance determined that there was a significant effect for surface type. During the descent of the lunge, the STEPRIGHT® elicited higher rectus femoris (33% [27%] MVIC) compared with BOSU® (22% [14%] MVIC) and VMO (44% [15%] MVIC) on STEPRIGHT® compared with firm (38% [11%] MVIC) (P < .05). During the ascent of the lunge, the rectus femoris (38% [27%] MVIC) using STEPRIGHT® was higher than BOSU® (24% [16%] MVIC), and STEPRIGHT® elicited higher VMO (65% [20%] MVIC) versus BOSU® (56% [19%] MVIC) (P ≤ .01). The STEPRIGHT® for fibularis longus was higher (descent: 51% [20%] MVIC, ascent: 52% [22%] MVIC) than BOSU® (descent: 36% [15%] MVIC, ascent: 33% [16%] MVIC) or firm (descent: 33% [12%] MVIC, ascent: 35% [15%] MVIC) (P < .001). Conclusions: Clinicians may choose to use the STEPRIGHT® for strengthening VMO and fibularis longus muscles, as these were over 41% MVIC or any of the 3 surfaces for endurance training (<25% MVIC) for biceps femoris muscle. This information may be helpful in exercise dosage for forward lunges when using STEPRIGHT®, BOSU®, or a firm surface.

2020 ◽  
Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaku Kakehata ◽  
Yuta Goto ◽  
Shigeo Iso ◽  
Kazuyuki Kanosue

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (5) ◽  
pp. 288-298
Author(s):  
Murat Çilli ◽  
Merve N. Yasar ◽  
Onur Çakir

Background and Study Aim. The aim of this study is to examine the electromyographic responses to Nordic curl and prone leg curl exercises, having two different mechanics. Material and Methods. The athletes performed the prone leg curl and Nordic curl exercises in random order, 6 repetitions each. Electromyographic data of semimemranosus, semitendinosus, biceps femoris and rectus femoris muscles were recorded by 8-channel electromyography in order to examine the muscle responses to exercises. Total duration of exercise, cumulative integrated electromyographic values and muscle activation rates in 5 different intensity zones determined according to MVC% values have been compared. Results. Prone leg curl exercise occurred in less time than Nordic curl exercise. According to the cumulative integrated electromyography data results, all muscles showed similar muscle activation in both exercises. Comparing the muscle activation rates in the five intensity zones, more muscle activity was observed for Nordic curl exercise in the first intensity zone, while prone leg curl exercise was more active in the third and fourth zones. During the prone leg curl exercise, the muscle activation rate of the dominant leg is higher in the first intensity zone, whereas the non-dominant leg in the fourth intensity zone has a higher muscle activation. During the Nordic curl exercise, the muscle activation rates of the dominant leg in the first and fifth intensity zones are higher, whereas the nondominant leg in the fourth intensity zone is higher. Conclusions. Prone leg curl exercises can be preferred in order to stimulate high muscle activation in a short time. Comparing the two exercises there was no significant difference in muscle activity in dominant and nondominant legs.


2019 ◽  
Vol 28 (4) ◽  
pp. 318-324
Author(s):  
Benita Olivier ◽  
Samantha-Lynn Quinn ◽  
Natalie Benjamin ◽  
Andrew Craig Green ◽  
Jessica Chiu ◽  
...  

Context: The single-leg squat task is often used as a rehabilitative exercise or as a screening tool for the functional movement of the lower limb. Objective: To establish the effect of 3 different positions of the nonstance leg on 3-dimensional kinematics, muscle activity, and center of mass displacement during a single-leg squat. Design: Within-subjects, repeated-measures design. Setting: Movement analysis laboratory. Participants: A total of 10 participants, aged 28.2 (4.42) years performed 3 squats to 60° of knee flexion with the nonstance (1) hip at 90° flexion and knee at 90° flexion, (2) hip at 30° flexion with the knee fully extended, or (3) hip in neutral/0° and the knee flexed to 90°. Main Outcome Measures: Trunk, hip, knee and ankle joint angles, and center of mass displacement were recorded with inertial sensors while muscle activity was captured through wireless electromyography. Results: Most trunk flexion (21.38° [18.43°]) occurred with the nonstance hip at 90° and most flexion of the stance hip (23.10° [6.60°]) occurred with the nonstance hip at 0°. Biceps femoris activity in the 90° squat was 40% more than in the 0° squat, whereas rectus femoris activity in the 0° squat was 29% more than in the 90° squat. Conclusion: The position of the nonstance limb should be standardized when the single-leg squat is used for assessment and be adapted to the aim when used in rehabilitation.


2021 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 387-395
Author(s):  
Soojin Kim ◽  
Joo-Hyun Lee ◽  
Jihye Heo ◽  
Eunwook Chang

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare thigh muscle activities and muscle co-activation when performing squats, wall squats, and Spanish squats on stable and unstable ground.METHODS: Twenty-two healthy male subjects (age: 22.50±2.70 years, height: 178.72±6.04 cm, mass: 76.50±6.80 kg, body mass index: 24.00±2.10 kg/m2, and Godin activity questionnaire: 56.30±24.10) voluntarily participated in the study. All of the participants performed three different squat exercises on the floor and the BOSU ball with an electromyograph attached to each participant’s quadriceps (rectus femoris, RF; vastus lateralis, VL; and vastus medialis, VM) and hamstrings (biceps femoris, BF; semitendinosus, ST; and semimembranosus, SM). Repeated measures of analysis of variance were utilized to compare muscle activity during the three squats exercises by floor type.RESULTS: RF (p<.001, η2=.689), VL (p<.001, η2=.622), and VM (p=.002, η2=.375) showed significant differences between exercises. Spanish squats yielded greater BF activity than did wall squats (p=.018, η2=.269). ST yielded greater muscle activity with the BOSU ball than on the floor (p=.018, η2=.269). Finally, there was a significant ground exercise interaction effect on the co-activation, showing greater muscle co-activation with Spanish squats on the BOSU ball compared to squats, squats on the BOSU ball, and wall squat on the BOSU ball.CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study indicate that Spanish squats could be an effective exercise option for the facilitation of RF, VL, VM, and BF muscle activation. In particular, performing Spanish squats on an unstable surface could be useful for patients who need to improve their quadriceps muscle activation.


2020 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-27
Author(s):  
César Berzosa ◽  
Fernando Sanz-López ◽  
Oliver Gonzalo-Skok ◽  
Carlos Valero-Campo ◽  
José Luis Arjol-Serrano ◽  
...  

Abstract The aim of this study was to analyse the acute effects of a concentric exercise and two different eccentric overload exercises (EOEs) on blood markers of muscle damage (i.e. creatine kinase [CK], lactate dehydrogenase [LDH], myoglobin [Myo], and malondialdehyde [MDA]) and muscle contractile properties. Ten healthy, young (27 ± 1.5 years, 179 ± 6 cm, 78.7 ± 10.8 kg), physically active men (3.5 ± 1.9 h·w-1) randomly performed three training sessions using the following protocols: a half-squat (HS) as a concentric exercise, and exercises using Versapulley (VP) or YoYo isoinertial technology (YIT) as EOEs (4 x 7 repetitions with a 2 min rest interval between sets). Blood samples and tensiomyography measurements were obtained after each training session. Repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) followed by the Tukey test was used to detect differences between the four time points of each variable. The standardized difference or effect size (ES, 90% confidence limit) in the selected variables was calculated using the basal SD. After all exercises, a greater activity of CK, LDH, and concentration of Myo, and MDA were found compared to baseline values (p < 0.05). A substantially greater activity of CK, LDH, and Myo concentration, but not MDA, were found after EOEs when compared to the HS protocol. Substantially lower tensiomyography results in the rectus femoris (RF) were reported, irrespective of the exercise mode performed. Also, no substantial differences were obtained in the biceps femoris (BF) between EOEs and the HS protocol. Time of contraction (Tc) in the RF was possibly to very likely lower in the HS in comparison to EOEs. Additionally, muscular displacement (Dm) in the RF was substantially lower in the HS compared to EOEs. VP produced higher concentrations of damage markers than YIT and concentric exercise did. Furthermore, tensiomyography variables showed similar activation in both exercises, although higher specific fatigue (in the RF) was registered in the traditional HS.


2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 89-96
Author(s):  
Najme Noghani Ardestani ◽  
◽  
Rahman Sheikhhoseini ◽  
Farideh Babakhani ◽  
◽  
...  

Introduction: This study aimed to investigate the onset time and the electromyographic activity level of the selected lower limb muscles in the active and inactive old women. Materials and Methods: In this case-control study, 28 old women with a Mean±SD age of 61.07±0.88 years were selected in the inactive (15 people) and active (13 people) groups. The electrical activity of the selected muscles of the lower limbs was collected by the EMG device in a stair down movement. Results: The onset time of tibialis anterior, vastus lateralis, and biceps femoris muscles are faster in the active group (p <0.05). Besides, the activity level of the rectus femoris muscle in the interval of 100 ms before the initial contact and the ratio of the vastus medialis muscle to the biceps femoris muscle was significantly lower (p <0.05) in the active group. Conclusion: It seems that the muscles of the lower limbs in the group of women with regular physical activity are activated faster than the inactive group and the decrease in the activity of the rectus femoris muscle and the ratio of the vastus medialis to the biceps femoris muscle in the active women may be accompanied by fatigue and reduced intra-articular forces. Therefore, it is recommended that old women participate in regular and active exercise programs to improve their onset times of muscle activity.


2012 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 275-281 ◽  
Author(s):  
Helen Branthwaite ◽  
Nachiappan Chockalingam ◽  
Anand Pandyan ◽  
Gaurav Khatri

Background: Unstable shoes, which have recently become popular, claim to provide additional physiological and biomechanical advantages to people who wear them. Alterations in postural stability have been shown when using the shoe after training. However, the immediate effect on muscle activity when walking in unstable shoes for the first time has not been investigated. Objective: To evaluate muscle activity and temporal parameters of gait when wearing Masai Barefoot Technology shoes® for the first time compared to the subject’s own regular trainer shoes. Study Design: A pilot repeated-measures quasi control trial. Method: Electromyographic measurements of lower leg muscles (soleus, medial gastrocnemius, lateral gastrocnemius, tibialis anterior, peroneus longus, rectus femoris, biceps femoris and gluteus medius) were measured in 15 healthy participants using Masai Barefoot Technology shoes and trainer shoes over a 10-m walkway. Muscle activity of the third and sixth steps was used to study the difference in behaviour of the muscles under the two shoe conditions. Temporal parameters were captured with footswitches to highlight heel strike, heel lift and toe off. Paired samples t-test was completed to compare mean muscle activity for Masai Barefoot Technology and trainer shoes. Results: Indicated that the use of Masai Barefoot Technology shoes increased the intensity of the magnitude of muscle activity. While this increase in the activity was not significant across the subjects, there were inter-individual differences in muscle activity. This variance between the participants demonstrates that some subjects do alter muscle behaviour while wearing such shoes. Conclusion: A more rigorous and specific assessment is required when advising patients to purchase the Masai Barefoot Technology shoe. Not all subjects respond positively to using unstable shoes, and the point in time when muscle behaviour can change is variable. Clinical relevance Use of Masai Barefoot Technology shoe in patient management should be monitored closely as the individual muscle changes and the point in time when changes occur vary between subjects, and evaluation of how a subject responds is not yet clear.


2021 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
pp. 332-336
Author(s):  
Daniel Araya ◽  
Juan López ◽  
Germán Villalobos ◽  
Rodrigo Guzmán-Venegas ◽  
Oscar Valencia

Introduction: Surface electromyography has been a technique used to describe muscle activity during running. However, there is little literature that analyses the behaviour of muscle coactivation in runners, describing the effect between two techniques associated with the initial contact, such as the use of rearfoot (RF) and forefoot (FF). Material and method: The purpose of this study was to compare muscle coactivation levels developed in the lower limb during two running techniques, FF vs RF. Fourteen amateur runners were evaluated (eight men, six women; age= 23.21 ± 3.58 years, mass= 63.89 ± 8.13 kg, height= 1.68 ± 0.08m). Surface electromyography was used to measure muscle activity during both running techniques evaluated on a treadmill, considering the muscle pairs: Rectus femoris- Biceps femoris (RFe-BF), Lateral Gastrocnemius–Tibialis Anterior (LG-TA), and Medial Gastrocnemius - Tibialis Anterior (MG-TA). These were calculated in three windows considering ten running cycles (0-5%, 80-100%, and 0-100%). To compare FF vs RF t-student test for paired data was used. Results: It was observed significant differences in the MG-TA pair (FF= 18.42 ± 11.84% vs RF = 39.05 ± 13.28%, p = 0.0018 during 0-5%, and RFe-BF pair (FF = 42.38 ± 18.11% vs RF = 28.37 ± 17.2%, p = 0.0331) during 80-100% of the race. Conclusion: Our findings show that the behaviour of muscle coactivation is different between FF vs RF techniques if we analyze little windows in the running cycle. This could be associated with an increase in the joint stability between these short intervals, represented in the initial and final regions of the running cycle.


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