title: Electromyography Activation Levels of the 3 Gluteus Medius Subdivisions During Manual Strength Testing.
abstract: METHODS
  Cross-sectional.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  Gluteus medius (GM) muscle dysfunction is associated with overuse injury. The GM is functionally composed of 3 separate subdivisions: anterior, middle, and posterior. Clinical assessment of the GM subdivisions is relevant to detect strength and activation deficits and guide specific rehabilitation programs. However, the optimal positions for assessing the strength and activation of these subdivisions are unknown.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The first aim was to establish which strength-testing positions produce the highest surface electromyography (sEMG) activation levels of the individual GM subdivisions. The second aim was to evaluate differences in sEMG activation levels between the tested and contralateral (stabilizing) leg.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy physically active male subjects participated in this study. Muscle activity using sEMG was recorded for the GM subdivisions in 8 different strength-testing positions and analyzed using repeated-measures analysis of variance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significant differences between testing positions for all 3 GM subdivisions were found. There were significant differences between the tested and the contralateral anterior and middle GM subdivisions (P < .01). The posterior GM subdivision showed no significant difference (P = .154).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Side-lying in neutral and side-lying with hip internal rotation are the 2 positions recommended to evaluate GM function and guide specific GM rehabilitation.
authors: ASPETAR - Qatar Orthopaedic and Sports Medicine Hospital, Doha, Qatar.
authors: Roald
authors: R
authors: Otten
authors: Johannes L
authors: JL
authors: Tol
authors: Per
authors: P
authors: Holmich
authors: Rodney
authors: R
authors: Whiteley
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004576:Electromyography / Q000379:methods*; D006615:Hip / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D053580:Muscle Strength / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult