scholarly journals Bracing of the trunk and neck has a differential effect on head control during gait

2015 ◽  
Vol 114 (3) ◽  
pp. 1773-1783 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Morrison ◽  
D. M. Russell ◽  
K. Kelleran ◽  
M. L. Walker
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Abdominal Muscle ◽  
Trunk Muscle ◽  
Erector Spinae ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Vertical Acceleration ◽  
Lower Trunk ◽  
Head Control ◽  
The Impact

During gait, the trunk and neck are believed to play an important role in dissipating the transmission of forces from the ground to the head. This attenuation process is important to ensure head control is maintained. The aim of the present study was to assess the impact of externally restricting the motion of the trunk and/or neck segments on acceleration patterns of the upper body and head and related trunk muscle activity. Twelve healthy adults performed three walking trials on a flat, straight 65-m walkway, under four different bracing conditions: 1) control-no brace; 2) neck-braced; 3) trunk-braced; and 4) neck-trunk braced. Three-dimensional acceleration from the head, neck (C7) and lower trunk (L3) were collected, as was muscle activity from trunk. Results revealed that, when the neck and/or trunk were singularly braced, an overall decrease in the ability of the trunk to attenuate gait-related oscillations was observed, which led to increases in the amplitude of vertical acceleration for all segments. However, when the trunk and neck were braced together, acceleration amplitude across all segments decreased in line with increased attenuation from the neck to the head. Bracing was also reflected by increased activity in erector spinae, decreased abdominal muscle activity and lower trunk muscle coactivation. Overall, it would appear that the neuromuscular system of young, healthy individuals was able to maintain a consistent pattern of head acceleration, irrespective of the level of bracing, and that priority was placed over the control of vertical head accelerations during these gait tasks.

scholarly journals Alteration in HDEMG Spatial Parameters of Trunk Muscle Due to Handle Design during Pushing

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (19) ◽  
pp. 6646
Author(s):  
Jacqueline Toner ◽  
Jeremy Rickards ◽  
Kenneth Seaman ◽  
Usha Kuruganti
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Trunk Muscle ◽  
Erector Spinae ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Horizontal Orientation ◽  
Low Back Injuries ◽  
Spatial Parameters ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
Pushing And Pulling

Previous research identifies that pushing and pulling is responsible for approximately 9–18% of all low back injuries. Additionally, the handle design of a cart being pushed can dramatically alter a worker’s capacity to push (≅9.5%). Surprisingly little research has examined muscle activation of the low back and its role in muscle function. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to examine the effects of handle design combination of pushing a platform truck cart on trunk muscle activity. Twenty participants (10 males and 10 females, mean age = 24.3 ± 4.3 years) pushed 475 lbs using six different handle combinations involving handle orientation (vertical/horizontal/semi-pronated) and handle height (hip/shoulder). Multichannel high-density EMG (HDsEMG) was recorded for left and right rectus abdominis, erector spinae, and external obliques. Pushing at hip height with a horizontal handle orientation design (HH) resulted in significantly less (p < 0.05) muscle activity compared to the majority of other handle designs, as well as a significantly higher entropy than the shoulder handle height involving either the semi-pronated (p = 0.023) or vertical handle orientation (p = 0.028). The current research suggests that the combination of a hip height and horizontal orientation handle design may require increased muscle demand of the trunk and alter the overall muscle heterogeneity and pattern of the muscle activity.

Validation and comparison of trunk muscle activities in male participants during exercise using an innovative device and abdominal bracing maneuvers

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Yuki Kurokawa ◽  
Satoshi Kato ◽  
Satoru Demura ◽  
Kazuya Shinmura ◽  
Noriaki Yokogawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Trunk Muscle ◽  
Erector Spinae ◽  
Trunk Muscles ◽  
Activity Levels ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
External Oblique ◽  
Internal Oblique

BACKGROUND: Abdominal bracing is effective in strengthening the trunk muscles; however, assessing performance can be challenging. We created a device for performing abdominal trunk muscle exercises. The effectiveness of this device has not yet been evaluated or compared OBJECTIVE: We aimed to quantify muscle activity levels during exercise using our innovative device and to compare them with muscle activation during abdominal bracing maneuvers. METHODS: This study included 10 men who performed abdominal bracing exercises and exercises using our device. We measured surface electromyogram (EMG) activities of the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique, internal oblique (IO), and erector spinae (ES) muscles in each of the exercises. The EMG data were normalized to those recorded during maximal voluntary contraction (%EMGmax). RESULTS: During the bracing exercise, the %EMGmax of IO was significantly higher than that of RA and ES (p< 0.05), whereas during the exercises using the device, the %EMGmax of IO was significantly higher than that of ES (p< 0.05). No significant difference was observed in the %EMGmax of any muscle between bracing exercises and the exercises using the device (p= 0.13–0.95). CONCLUSIONS: The use of our innovative device results in comparable activation to that observed during abdominal bracing.

scholarly journals Effects of a Dynamic Chair on Chair Seat Motion and Trunk Muscle Activity during Office Tasks and Task Transitions

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 2723 ◽  
Author(s):  
Corina Nüesch ◽  
Jan-Niklas Kreppke ◽  
Annegret Mündermann ◽  
Lars Donath
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Muscle Activation ◽  
Dynamic Condition ◽  
Trunk Muscle ◽  
Erector Spinae ◽  
Task Transition ◽  
The Right ◽  
Hand Writing ◽  
And Task

Employing dynamic office chairs might increase the physical (micro-) activity during prolonged office sitting. We investigated whether a dynamic BioSwing® chair increases chair sway and alters trunk muscle activation. Twenty-six healthy young adults performed four office tasks (reading, calling, typing, hand writing) and transitions between these tasks while sitting on a dynamic and on a static office chair. For all task-transitions, chair sway was higher in the dynamic condition (p < 0.05). Muscle activation changes were small with lower mean activity of the left obliquus internus during hand writing (p = 0.07), lower mean activity of the right erector spinae during the task-transition calling to hand writing (p = 0.036), and higher mean activity of the left erector spinae during the task-transition reading to calling (p = 0.07) on the dynamic chair. These results indicate that an increased BioSwing® chair sway only selectively alters trunk muscle activation. Adjustments of chair properties (i.e., swinging elements, foot positioning) are recommended.

scholarly journals Lower trunk muscle activity-induced alignment and cop position during single-leg standing

2017 ◽  
Vol 29 (6) ◽  
pp. 1057-1061
Author(s):  
Tetsuya Nakao ◽  
Kenichi Masuda ◽  
Shigeyuki Kanai ◽  
Junzo Tsujita ◽  
Kazufumi Hirakawa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Trunk Muscle ◽  
Lower Trunk

scholarly journals Spinal stiffness changes throughout the respiratory cycle

2003 ◽  
Vol 95 (4) ◽  
pp. 1467-1475 ◽  
Author(s):  
D Shirley ◽  
P. W. Hodges ◽  
A. E. M. Eriksson ◽  
S. C. Gandevia
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Spinous Process ◽  
Lumbar Vertebrae ◽  
Trunk Muscle ◽  
Erector Spinae ◽  
Abdominal Pressure ◽  
Abdominal Muscles ◽  
Electromyographic Activity ◽  
Spinal Stiffness ◽  
Wall Stiffness

Posteroanterior stiffness of the lumbar spine is influenced by factors, including trunk muscle activity and intra-abdominal pressure (IAP). Because these factors vary with breathing, this study investigated whether stiffness is modulated in a cyclical manner with respiration. A further aim was to investigate the relationship between stiffness and IAP or abdominal and paraspinal muscle activity. Stiffness was measured from force-displacement responses of a posteroanterior force applied over the spinous process of L2and L4. Recordings were made of IAP and electromyographic activity from L4/L2erector spinae, abdominal muscles, and chest wall. Stiffness was measured with the lung volume held at the extremes of tidal volume and at greater and lesser volumes. Stiffness at L4and L2increased above base-level values at functional residual capacity (L214.9 N/mm and L415.3 N/mm) with both inspiratory and expiratory efforts. The increase was related to the respiratory effort and was greatest during maximum expiration (L224.9 N/mm and L423.9 N/mm). The results indicate that changes in trunk muscle activity and IAP with respiratory efforts modulate spinal stiffness. In addition, the diaphragm may augment spinal stiffness via attachment of its crural fibers to the lumbar vertebrae.

scholarly journals Effects of Whole Body Vibration exercise on Lumbar-Abdominal Muscles Activation for patients with chronic low back pain

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
yulin dong ◽  
huifang wang ◽  
Yan Zhu ◽  
Binlin Chen ◽  
Yili Zheng ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Low Back Pain ◽  
Back Pain ◽  
Chronic Low Back Pain ◽  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Whole Body Vibration ◽  
Abdominal Muscle ◽  
Erector Spinae ◽  
Whole Body ◽  
Low Back ◽  
Body Vibration

Abstract BackgroundWhole body vibration (WBV) training as an intervention method can cure chronic low back pain (CLBP). Different WBV parameters exert different effects on lumbar-abdominal muscle performance. Currently, there is a lack of study researched the influence of WBV training on patients with CLBP by lumbar–abdominal muscle activity. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate how WBV and exercise and their interactions influence lumbar-abdominal muscle activity in patients with CLBP.Methodsa group of ambulatory patients with chronic low back pain. Muscle activities of the multifidus, erector spinae, abdominal oblique externus muscle and the rectus abdominis muscle were measured by surface electromyography, whereas participants performed 4 different exercises during three whole body vibration conditions and a no-vibration condition in a single experimental session.ResultsCompared with the same exercises without whole body vibration, muscle activity increased when whole body vibration was added to the exercises. The frequency and exercise presented significant effects on the root mean square of multifidus, whereas exercise and frequency also resulted in significant interaction effects.ConclusionAdding whole body vibration to exercise could increase muscle activation of lumbar–abdominal muscle in patients with CLBP. The optimum frequency for lumbar–abdominal muscles is 15 Hz. The best exercises include plank for multifidus and erector spinae, V crunch for rectus abdominis and single bridge for abdominal oblique externus.Trial registration:ChiCTR-TRC-13003708. Registered 19 October 2013, http://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.aspx?proj=5852

Local Dynamic Stability of Self-Paced Treadmill Walking Versus Fixed-Speed Treadmill Walking

2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuyang Qian ◽  
Kaiming Yang ◽  
Yu Zhu ◽  
Wei Wang ◽  
Chenhui Wan
Keyword(s):  
Dynamic Stability ◽  
Control Strategies ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Treadmill Walking ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Local Dynamic ◽  
Gait Stability ◽  
Treadmill Speed ◽  
Local Dynamic Stability ◽  
The Impact

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess the influence of gait stability induced by treadmill accelerations during self-paced treadmill walking (SPW). Local dynamic stability of three-dimensional (3D) upper body accelerations and hip angles were quantified. The results demonstrated that SPW was more unstable and had higher risk of falling than fixed-speed treadmill walking (FSW) under the impact of treadmill accelerations. The frequency domain analysis of treadmill speed indicated that intrastride treadmill speed variation was the dominating cause of the instability, and self-paced control strategies which can reduce the intrastride variation may achieve higher gait stability during SPW.

Changes in three dimensional lumbo-pelvic kinematics and trunk muscle activity with speed and mode of locomotion

2005 ◽  
Vol 20 (8) ◽  
pp. 784-793 ◽  
Author(s):  
Steven W. Saunders ◽  
Anthony Schache ◽  
David Rath ◽  
Paul W. Hodges
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Three Dimensional ◽  
Trunk Muscle

Effects of Dual Monitor Computer Work Versus Laptop Work on Cervical Muscular and Proprioceptive Characteristics of Males and Females

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (4) ◽  
pp. 546-563 ◽  
Author(s):  
Amanda M. Farias Zuniga ◽  
Julie N. Côté
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Activity ◽  
Young Male ◽  
Erector Spinae ◽  
Computer Work ◽  
Upper Body ◽  
Protective Effects ◽  
Desktop Computer ◽  
Normalized Mutual Information ◽  
Upper Trapezius ◽  
Objective Evidence

Objective: The effects of performing a 90-minute computer task with a laptop versus a dual monitor desktop workstation were investigated in healthy young male and female adults. Background: Work-related musculoskeletal disorders are common among computer (especially female) users. Laptops have surpassed desktop computer sales, and working with multiple monitors has also become popular. However, few studies have provided objective evidence on how they affect the musculoskeletal system in both genders. Methods: Twenty-seven healthy participants (mean age = 24.6 years; 13 males) completed a 90-minute computer task while using a laptop or dual monitor (DualMon) desktop. Electromyography (EMG) from eight upper body muscles and visual strain were measured throughout the task. Neck proprioception was tested before and after the computer task using a head-repositioning test. EMG amplitude (root mean square [RMS]), variability (coefficients of variation [CV]), and normalized mutual information (NMI) were computed. Results: Visual strain ( p < .01) and right upper trapezius RMS ( p = .03) increased significantly over time regardless of workstation. Right cervical erector spinae RMS and cervical NMI were smaller, while degrees of overshoot (mean = 4.15°) and end position error (mean = 1.26°) were larger in DualMon regardless of time. Effects on muscle activity were more pronounced in males, whereas effects on proprioception were more pronounced in females. Conclusion: Results suggest that compared to laptop, DualMon work is effective in reducing cervical muscle activity, dissociating cervical connectivity, and maintaining more typical neck repositioning patterns, suggesting some health-protective effects. Application: This evidence could be considered when deciding on computer workstation designs.

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