Trunk muscle activity during lumbar stabilization exercises on both a stable and unstable surface.
METHODS
Controlled laboratory study.


OBJECTIVE
To clarify whether differences in surface stability influence trunk muscle activity.


BACKGROUND
Lumbar stabilization exercises on unstable surfaces are performed widely. One perceived advantage in performing stabilization exercises on unstable surfaces is the potential for increased muscular demand. However, there is little evidence in the literature to help establish whether this assumption is correct.


METHODS
Nine healthy male subjects performed lumbar stabilization exercises. Pairs of intramuscular fine-wire or surface electrodes were used to record the electromyographic signal amplitude of the rectus abdominis, the external obliques, the transversus abdominis, the erector spinae, and lumbar multifidus. Five exercises were performed on the floor and on an unstable surface: elbow-toe, hand-knee, curl-up, side bridge, and back bridge. The EMG data were normalized as the percentage of the maximum voluntary contraction, and data between doing each exercise on the stable versus unstable surface were compared using a Wilcoxon signed-rank test.


RESULTS
With the elbow-toe exercise, the activity level for all muscles was enhanced when performed on the unstable surface. When performing the hand-knee and side bridge exercises, activity level of the more global muscles was enhanced when performed on an unstable surface. Performing the curl-up exercise on an unstable surface, increased the activity of the external obliques but reduced transversus abdominis activation.


CONCLUSIONS
This study indicates that lumbar stabilization exercises on an unstable surface enhanced the activities of trunk muscles, except for the back bridge exercise.
Graduate School of Comprehensive Human Science, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Ibaraki, Japan.
Atsushi
A
Imai
Koji
K
Kaneoka
Yu
Y
Okubo
Itsuo
I
Shiina
Masaki
M
Tatsumura
Shigeki
S
Izumi
Hitoshi
H
Shiraki
D000009:Abdominal Muscles / Q000294:innervation*; D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008161:Lumbosacral Region; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction