title: Assessment of abdominal muscle exercises in non-pregnant, pregnant and postpartum subjects, using electromyography.
abstract: The purpose of this study was to analyse, by electromyographic technique, abdominal muscle activity in exercises commonly advocated as being effective in improving abdominal muscle performance. In general exercises from the lying position were found to involve the rectus abdominis and oblique muscles more than those exercises from standing, sitting or kneeling positions. Further, among exercises from lying, 'trunk on legs' and 'trunk plus legs' involved these muscles more than 'legs on trunk' exercises. With pregnancy and in the puerperium there was a change in the pattern of abdominal muscle involvement in exercises from the lying position, suggesting that the traditional division of exercise lists into 'antenatal' and 'postnatal' is not optimal: the demarcation "circumnatal" (around the time of birth) and "abnatal" (remote from the time of birth) would appear to be more appropriate. Details are given of the method of assessment of exercises, data analysis and interpretation of results. The findings have implications for the selection of exercises for clinical Use in obstetric physiotherapy.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Booth
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, University of Melbourne.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Chennells
authors.affiliation: School of Physiotherapy, Lincoln Institute of Health Sciences, Melbourne.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jones
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Price