title: Effects of non-paretic arm exercises using a tubing band on abdominal muscle activity in stroke patients.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Abdominal strengthening exercises are important for stroke patients; however, there is a lack of research on therapeutic exercises for increasing abdominal muscle activity in stroke patients.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  We investigated the effects of non-paretic arm exercises using a tubing band on abdominal muscle activity in stroke patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  In total, 18 hemiplegic subjects (13 males, 5 females) were recruited. All subjects performed non-paretic arm exercises involving three different shoulder movements (extension, flexion, and horizontal abduction) using an elastic tubing band. Surface electromyography (EMG) signals were recorded from the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO) muscles bilaterally during non-paretic arm exercises.
  
  
  RESULTS
  EMG activities of abdominal muscles during non-paretic arm extension and horizontal abduction were increased significantly versus shoulder flexion when subjects performed the arm exercise in a seated position. Muscle activity of the EO was significantly greater in the paretic than the non-paretic side during non-paretic arm extension and horizontal abduction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We suggest that non-paretic arm extension and horizontal abduction exercises using an elastic tubing band may be effective in increasing abdominal muscle activity.
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Department of Rehabilitation Science, INJE University, Gimhae, South Korea.
authors.forename: Dong-Kyu
authors.initials: DK
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Department of Rehabilitation Science, INJE University, Gimhae, South Korea.
authors.forename: Min-Hyeok
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Department of Rehabilitation Science, INJE University, Gimhae, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Won
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Graduate School, Department of Physical Therapy, INJE University, Gimhae, South Korea.
authors.forename: Yang-Gon
authors.initials: YG
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Occupational Therapy, College of Health Science, YONSEI University, Wonju, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ji-Hyuk
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Biomedical Science and Engineering, INJE University, Gimhae, South Korea.
authors.forename: Jae-Seop
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Oh
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001132:Arm / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005081:Exercise Therapy / Q000295:instrumentation*; D005260:Female; D006429:Hemiplegia / Q000209:etiology / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D059906:Neuroimaging; D017568:Rectus Abdominis / Q000502:physiology*; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D020521:Stroke / Q000150:complications; D000071939:Stroke Rehabilitation
keywords: Elastic tubing band; abdominal muscle; non-paretic arm exercise; resistance direction