title: Modifying the hip abduction angle during bridging exercise can facilitate gluteus maximus activity.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate how the erector spinae (ES) and gluteus maximus (GM) muscle activity and the anterior pelvic tilt angle change with different hip abduction angles during a bridging exercise.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty healthy participants (10 males and 10 females, aged 21.6 ± 1.6) voluntarily participated in this study. Surface electromyography (EMG) signals were recorded from the ES and GM during bridging at three hip abduction angles: 0°, 15°, and 30°. Simultaneously, the anterior pelvic tilt angle was measured using Image J software.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The EMG amplitude of the GM muscle and the GM/ES EMG ratio were greatest at 30° hip abduction, followed by 15° and then 0° hip abduction during the bridging exercise. In contrast, the ES EMG amplitude at 30° hip abduction was significantly lesser than that at 0° and 15° abduction. Additionally, the anterior pelvic tilt angle was significantly lower at 30° hip abduction than at 0° or 15°.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bridging with 30° hip abduction can be recommended as an effective method to selectively facilitate GM muscle activity, minimize compensatory ES muscle activity, and decrease the anterior pelvic tilt angle.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, The Graduate School, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju, Kangwon-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sun-Young
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, Baekseok University, Anseo-dong, Dongnam-gu, Cheonan-si, Chungcheongnam-do, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sung-Dae
authors.initials: SD
authors.lastname: Choung
authors.affiliation: Department of Physical Therapy, College of Health Science, Yonsei University, 1 Yonseidae-gil, Wonju, Kangwon-do, Republic of Korea. Electronic address: hyeseonj@yonsei.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Hye-Seon
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Jeon
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002081:Buttocks / Q000502:physiology*; D004576:Electromyography; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007537:Isometric Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D009119:Muscle Contraction / Q000502:physiology*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000502:physiology*; D016059:Range of Motion, Articular / Q000502:physiology*; D056910:Republic of Korea; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Bridging exercise; Electromyography; Gluteus maximus; Hip abduction