Adductor longus activation during common hip exercises.
BACKGROUND
Hip-adductor strains are among the most common lower-extremity injuries sustained in athletics. Treatment of these injuries involves a variety of exercises used to target the hip adductors.


OBJECTIVE
To identify the varying activation levels of the adductor longus during common hip-adductor exercises.


METHODS
Descriptive study.


METHODS
Laboratory.


METHODS
24 physically active, college-age students.


METHODS
None.
Peak and average electromyographic (EMG) activity of the adductor longus muscle during the following 6 hip-adductor rehabilitation exercises: side-lying hip adduction, ball squeezes, rotational squats, sumo squats, standing hip adduction on a Swiss ball, and side lunges.


RESULTS
The side-lying hip-adduction exercise produced more peak and average activation than any other exercise (P < .001). Ball squeezes produced more peak and average activation than rotational squats, sumo squats, and standing adduction on a Swiss ball (P < .001). Ball squeezes had more average activation than side lunges (P = .001). All other variables for peak activation during the exercises were not statistically significant (P > .08). These results allowed the authors to provide an overall ranking system (highest to lowest muscle activation): side-lying hip adduction, ball squeezes, side lunges, standing adduction on a Swiss ball, rotational squats, and sumo squats.


CONCLUSIONS
The study provides a ranking system on the activation levels of the adductor longus muscle for 6 common hip-adductor rehabilitation exercises, with the side-lying hip-adduction and ball-squeeze exercises displaying the highest overall activation.
School of Kinesiology and Recreation, Illinois State University, Normal, IL.
Robert J
RJ
Delmore
Kevin G
KG
Laudner
Michael R
MR
Torry
D001265:Athletic Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D004576:Electromyography; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006615:Hip; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000293:injuries / Q000502:physiology*; D013180:Sprains and Strains / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D055815:Young Adult