title: Slow Expiration Reduces External Oblique Muscle Activity during Maximum Trunk Flexion.
abstract: [Purpose] The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effects of expiration on abdominal muscle activity during maximum trunk flexion. [Subjects] Twenty-one healthy university students (10 men, 11 women) participated in this study. [Methods] Electromyography (EMG) was used to quantify the activity of the right rectus abdominis, external oblique, and internal oblique muscles. The paired t-test was used to examine the significance of differences in the abdominal muscles between maximum trunk flexion with breath holding and slow expiration. [Results] There was a significantly lower EMG activity in the external oblique muscle during maximum trunk flexion with slow expiration. [Conclusion] The results of this study indicate that slow expiration reduces external oblique muscle activity during maximum trunk flexion performed by healthy young subjects.
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Science and Technology, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, Japan.
authors.forename: Hiroshi
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Ishida
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Ishikawa Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Saya
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Tajima
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Mizushima Kyodo Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Riyo
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Masuno
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Kurashiki Heisei Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Yoshiko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kogame
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Kurashiki Heisei Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Suguru
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ando
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Kurashiki Daiichi Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: Katsuhiko
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Yokohata
authors.affiliation: Department of Rehabilitation, Faculty of Health Science and Technology, Kawasaki University of Medical Welfare, Japan.
authors.forename: Susumu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Watanabe
keywords: Abdominal muscles; Electromyography; Expiration