title: Abdominal muscle EMG-activity during bridge exercises on stable and unstable surfaces.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess abdominal muscles (AM) activity during prone, side, and supine bridge on stable and unstable surfaces (BOSU, Swiss Ball).
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective comparison study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Research laboratory.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thirty-three healthy volunteers from a university population.
  
  
  METHODS
  Surface electromyography of the rectus abdominis (RA), the external oblique (EO) and the internal oblique with the transversus abdominis (IO-TA).
  
  
  RESULTS
  The AM exhibited the highest activity during prone bridge on a Swiss Ball (RA, EO, IO-TA 44.7 ± 19.2, 54.7 ± 22.9, 36.8 ± 18.6 in % of MVC, respectively). The lowest activity was observed during supine bridge on a stable surface and a BOSU (under 5.0). The lowest ratio analyzed on the basis of the relation of EO and IO-TA activity to RA was obtained during prone bridge on the Swiss Ball (1.4 ± 0.7 for EO, 0.9 ± 0.5 for IO-TA). The highest ratio was obtained during prone bridge on stable surface and supine bridges.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The highest level of activity in the abdominal muscles is achieved during prone bridge on a Swiss Ball. However, this exercise provided the lowest activity of the EO and IO-TA in relation to RA. It is essential to conduct further studies verifying the usefulness of using Swiss Ball during core stability training.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Józef Rusiecki University College in Olsztyn, 10-243 Olsztyn, Bydgoska 33, Poland. Electronic address: dariusz.czaprowski@interia.pl.
authors.forename: Dariusz
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Czaprowski
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Józef Rusiecki University College in Olsztyn, 10-243 Olsztyn, Bydgoska 33, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Afeltowicz
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Józef Rusiecki University College in Olsztyn, 10-243 Olsztyn, Bydgoska 33, Poland.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gębicka
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiotherapy, Józef Rusiecki University College in Olsztyn, 10-243 Olsztyn, Bydgoska 33, Poland.
authors.forename: Paulina
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Pawłowska
authors.affiliation: Department of Posture Correction, Faculty of Physical Education and Sport in Biala Podlaska, Józef Piłsudski University of Physical Education in Warsaw, Poland.
authors.forename: Agnieszka
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kędra
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy and Exercise Center, Valencia, Spain; Institute for Research on Musculoskeletal Disorders, School of Medicine, Valencia Catholic University, Valencia, Spain.
authors.forename: Carlos
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Barrios
authors.affiliation: Physical Therapy and Exercise Center, Valencia, Spain; Fizjo-Sport, Rzeszów, Poland.
authors.forename: Michał
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hadała
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods*; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D064368:Healthy Volunteers; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D017568:Rectus Abdominis / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: BOSU; Core stability; Electromyography; Sport training; Swiss Ball