• The Journal of Korean Academy of Orthopedic Manual Physical Therapy
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of abdominal muscle strengthening exercises and back muscle stretching on the flexibility of spinal column. Methods: The subjects were consisted of healthy adults ( 28 of females, 32 males; mean aged 21.6) from 18 to 29. All subjects randomly assigned to the control group, back muscle stretching group, abdominal muscle strengthening exercises group. back muscle stretching group received back muscles stretching for 20 minutes, abdominal muscle strengthening exercises group received abdominal muscle strengthening exercises for 30 minutes per day and 3 times a week during 3 week period. Spine motion analyzer (Spinal Mouse) was used to measure the flexibility of spinal column. All measurement of each subjects were measured at pre-experiment, after 10 days, and after 21 days. Results: The results of this study were summarized below 1. The sacral tilt angle of the hip joint of control group, back muscle stretching group, abdominal strengthening exercises group was no significantly differences at pre-experiment and after 10 days(p>0.5), but differency of each group occurred at after 21 days(p<0.5). the sacral tilt angle significantly increased at the back muscle stretching group, abdominal muscle strengthening exercises group, rather than the control group. 2. The thoracic vertebral tilt angle of the control group, back muscle stretching group, abdominal muscle strengthening exercises group was no significantly differences at pre-experiment, after 10 days, after 21 days(p>0.5). 3. The lumbar vertebral tilt angle of the control group, back muscle stretching group, abdominal muscle strengthening exercises group was no significantly differences at pre-experiment, after 10 days, after 21 days(p>0.5). 4. The spinal tilt angle of control group, back muscle stretching group, abdominal muscle strengthening exercises group was no significantly differences at pre-experiment and after 10 days(p>0.5), but differency of each group occurred at after 21 days(p<0.5). the spinal tilt angle significantly increased at the back muscle stretching group, abdominal muscle strengthening exercises group, rather than the control group(p<0.5). 5. The length of the spinal column of control group, back muscle stretching group, abdominal muscle strengthening exercises group was no significantly differences at pre-experiment and after 10 days (p>0.5), but differency of each group occurred at after 21 days(p<0.5). the length of the spinal column significantly increased at the back muscle stretching group, abdominal muscle strengthening exercises group, rather than the control group(p<0.5). Conclusion: these data suggests that 3-week abdominal muscle strengthening exercises and back muscle stretching improved the flexibility of sacrum, spinal column, and also improved spinal column lengthening. Additional randomized controlled trials to more fully investigate treatment effects and factors that may mediate these effects are needed.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.49-56
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• 2020

PURPOSE: This study examined the difference in muscle activity of the trunk and legs during flat walking with or without an abdominal drawing-in maneuver. METHODS: This study was conducted on 15 healthy males and eight females who were attending D University in Busan. This experiment was conducted after 15 minutes of abdominal drawing-in training using a pressure biofeedback unit before the experiment, and the difference in the muscle activity of the trunk and legs during flat walking with or without an abdominal drawing-in technique was investigated. Surface electromyography was used, and the electrode attachment site was the right sternocleidomastoid muscle, splenius capitis muscle, rectus abdominis muscle, external abdominal oblique muscle, transverse abdominis muscle, erector spinae muscle, vastus medialis muscle, and vastus lateralis muscle (TM DTS, Noraxon, USA). The data were analyzed statistically using a paired t-test on SPSS version 18.0 (IBM). RESULTS: The muscle activity of the rectus abdominis muscle, external abdominal oblique muscle, transverse abdominis muscle, vastus medialis muscle were increased significantly and maintained more than walking without maintaining an abdominal drawing-in maneuver (p < .05). Moreover, muscle activity of the erector spinae muscle was decreased significantly and maintained more than walking without maintaining an abdominal drawing-in maneuver (p < .05). CONCLUSION: Maintaining an abdominal drawing-in maneuver during flat walking is more effective during walking training.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.319-324
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• 2012

Purpose: This study examined the muscle activities of the erector spinae (ES) and gluteus maximus (GM) during bridging exercises with and without abdominal-hollowing. Methods: Nineteen healthy subjects with no medical history of low back pain or hip flexion contracture were enrolled in this study. The subjects performed bridging exercises with and without abdominal hollowing or with and without a one-leg lift. The muscle activities of the ES and GM were measured by surface electromyography during bridging exercises under each condition. A 2 (abdominal hollowing)X2 (one-leg lift) repeated ANOVA was used to compare the normalized muscle activities of the ES and GM. Results: The muscle activity of the ES during bridging exercise with abdominal-hollowing was significantly smaller than that without abdominal-hollowing (p=0.00). The muscle activities of the GM during bridging exercise with abdominal-hollowing were significantly greater than those without abdominal-hollowing (p=0.00). In addition, the muscle activities of the GM during bridging exercise with one-leg lifting was significantly greater than that without one-leg lifting (p=0.00). Conclusion: Bridging exercise with abdominal-hollowing appears to be more effective on activating the GM muscle than that without abdominal-hollowing minimizing the activation of the ES muscle.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.59-63
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• 2016

PURPOSE: The purpose of the present study is to examine the effects of sole Pilates based breathing on the thicknesses of the abdominal muscles. METHODS: Twenty adults aged in their 20-30s were randomly selected. The selection criteria were those who had no medical history of pain due to musculoskeletal system, neurologic, or orthopedic diseases within six months before the selection. The thicknesses of the abdominal muscles (the transversus abdominis muscle, internal oblique abdominal muscle, and external oblique abdominal muscle) of the subjects were measured using ultrasonography before and after Pilates breathing. The study was approved by the research ethics committee of the Catholic University of Pusan. RESULTS: After Pilates based breathing, the thicknesses of the transversus abdominis muscle, the internal oblique abdominal muscle, and the external oblique abdominal muscle increased significantly. In particular, the thickness increase rate of the transversus abdominis muscle was shown to be the highest. CONCLUSION: Sole Pilates based breathing is expected to be effective for the improvement of trunk stability through strengthening of abdominal muscles, because it induces the coordinated contraction of the transversus abdominis muscle and other abdominal muscle. It will be need the Longitudinal study for identify to long term effects of Pilates based breathing.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.13-21
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• 2019

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of abdominal muscle strengthening exercise on abdominal muscle strength and respiratory function in stroke patients. Methods : The subjects were 14 stroke patients (10 males, 4 females) hospitalized at W rehabilitation hospital in Busan City and randomly assigned to 7 exercise groups and 7 control groups. Exercise was performed in combination with an upper and lower extremity pattern of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation. Measurements of abdominal muscle strength and respiratory function were made before intervention and 4 weeks after intervention. Abdominal muscle strength was assessed using a digital manual dynamometer, and respiratory function was assessed by spirometry. The collected data were analyzed with a paired t-test and independent t-test and the significance level was set as α =.05. Results : The results showed that applying abdominal muscle strengthening exercise to stroke patients showed a significant increase in abdominal muscle strength and a significant difference between groups (p<.05). Maximal-effort expiratory spirogram (MES) readings were significantly increased in forced vital capacity (FVC), and forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁), in the exercise group, and there were a significant differences between the groups in terms of FEV1 (p<.05). Slow vital capacity (SVC) was significantly increased in vital capacity (VC), tidal volume (TV), inspiratory reserve volume (IRV), and expiratory capacity (EC), and there were significant differences between the groups in VC, TV, expiratory reserve volume (ERV), EC, and inspiratory capacity (IC) (p<.05). Conclusion : Abdominal muscle strengthening exercise was effective in the abdominal muscle strength of stroke patients, and it was confirmed to have a positive effect on the enhancement of respiratory function. Therefore, it seems that exercise programs for stroke patients with respiratory weakness should include abdominal muscle strengthening exercises.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Precision Engineering
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.115-122
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• 2011

Recently, we have proposed a hypothesis that spinal structures have a stress sensor driving feedback mechanism, In the human spine, spinal structure could react to modify muscular action in such a way so as to equalize stress at the disc, therefore reduce the risk of injury, In this analysis, abdominal muscle and abdominal pressure, which were not included in the previous study, were added to identify those effects in spine stability during upright stance posture for the case where the intervertebral disc plays the role of mechanoreceptor, The musculoskeletal FE model was consisted with detailed whole lumbar spine, pelvis, sacrum, coccyx and simplified trunk model. Muscle architecture with 46 local muscles containing paraspinal muscle and 6 rectus abdominal muscles were assigned according to the acting directions. The magnitude of 4kPa was considered for abdominal pressure. Minimization of the nucleus pressure deviation and annulus fiber average tension stress deviation was chosen for cost function. Developed model provide nice coincidence with in-vivo measurement (nucleus pressure). Analysis was conducted according to existence of co-activation of abdominal muscle and abdominal pressure. Antagonistic activity of abdominal muscle produced stability of spinal column with relatively small amount of total muscle force. In contrast to the abdominal muscle, effect of abdominal pressure was not clear that was partly depending on the assumption of constant abdominal pressure.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.32-39
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• 2013

Abdominal curl-up exercise may excessively increased superficial neck flexor such as sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscle. Also, the muscle activity of the abdominal muscles haven't investigated during abdominal curl-up with craniocervical flexion (CCF). Therefore, the purpose of our study was to determine the effect of CCF on the muscle activity of the abdominal and SCM muscles during abdominal curl-up. Twelve healthy subjects (six men and six women) with no history of abdominal or lower back pain within 6 weeks were recruited. Surface electromyographic signals were collected on SCM, rectus abdominis (RA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) muscles bilaterally during performing the traditional abdominal curl-up and the abdominal curl-up with CCF. Paired t-tests were used to compare the differences in the muscle activity of the bilateral SCM, RA, EO, and IO muscles between the traditional abdominal curl-up and the abdominal curl-up with CCF (p<.05). There was significantly lower electromyogram (EMG) activity of the both SCMs during the abdominal curl-up with CCF (Right SCM, $39.50{\pm}15.29%MVIC$; Left SCM, $38.24{\pm}17.31%MVIC$) than with the traditional abdominal curl-up (Right SCM, $54.85{\pm}20.05%MVIC$; Left SCM, $53.18{\pm}26.72%MVIC$) (p<.05). The activity of abdominal muscles were not significantly different between the traditional abdominal curl-up and the abdominal curl-up with CCF. The abdominal curl-up with CCF requires significantly less muscle activity of SCM. Consequently, the abdominal curl-up with CCF is recommended to prevent excessive activation of superficial cervical flexors during abdominal curl-up exercise.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.55-63
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• 2022

Background: This study investigated the effect of erector spinae and quadratus lumbar kinesio taping and support surface conditions on abdominal muscle activity during plank exercise. Design: Within-Group design. Methods: A total of twenty-three healthy men and women participated in this study. Abdominal muscle (both external obliques and internal oblique muscle) contraction was analyzed through EMG measurement with the presence or absence of kinesio taping applied to the erector spinae muscle and quadratus lumborum muscle during plank exercise and the difference between the support surfaces (stable surface and unstable surface) as variables. Abdominal EMG was attached to the right external oblique, left external oblique, right internal oblique, and left internal oblique. Results: The results showed that Abdominal left and right external obliques and internal obliques showed significant increases in activity when kinesio taping was applied to the erector spinae and quadratus lumborum muscles and unstable ground (p<0.05). Conclusion: In this study, we confirmed that the activity of the abdominal muscles was significantly increased during the plank operation in the state where the kinesio tape was attached. In addition, it was confirmed that the activity of the abdominal muscles was significantly increased during the plank operation on the unstable surface. These results suggest that in the state of kinesio tape attached and instability, plank motion has a positive effect on abdominal muscle activity.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.25-34
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• 2017

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to identify comparison of the abdominal muscle thickness and activity by using tool and unstable surface which is accompanied bridge exercise doing abdominal drawing-in breath. Method : This study was performed on normal 13 males and 17 females subjects doing bridge exercise accompanied abdominal drawing-in breath used tools. At this time muscle thickness and muscle activity is measured through ultrasound and EMG. Result : The results of this study, rectus abdominis, internal oblique and transverse abdominis showed a significant difference in muscle thickness when performed using pilates circle. And external oblique showed a significant difference muscle thickness when performed using gym ball. Rectus abdominis and external oblique showed a significant difference in muscle activity when performed using pilates circle. And internal oblique showed a significant difference in muscle activity when performed using sling. Conclusion : Therefore it is suggested that it would be effective to apply the gymball and pilates circle in the unstable surface for abdominal weakness.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2015

Purpose: The aim of this study was to examine the effects of abdominal muscle contraction thickness using real-time ultrasound imaging while applying an abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM) and pelvic floor muscle contraction (PFC) to low back pain patients and healthy subjects. Methods: The subjects were 21 young adults; a group of 10 low back pain patients and a control group of 11 healthy subjects. Measurements were made with the subjects on a pillow in a supine position, with the knee joints flexed at 60 degrees. While the two groups conducted ADIM and PFC, their transverse abdominal muscle (TrA), internal abdominal oblique muscle (IO), and external abdominal oblique muscle (EO) thicknesses were measured using an ultrasound imaging system. Result: The TrA muscle contraction thickness ratio during PFC and ADIM was significantly lower in the low back pain group than in the healthy group (p<0.05). The EO muscle contraction thickness ratio during ADIM was also significantly lower in the low back pain group than in the healthy group. The healthy group's muscle contraction thickness ratio was significantly lower during PFC than during ADIM in the TrA, IO, and EO (p<0.05). The low back pain group's muscle contraction thickness ratio was lower during PFC than during ADIM in the TrA, IO, and EO, but the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that oral direction during ADIM induced an appropriate contraction of the TrA. Therefore, the procedure reported here may be applied during rehabilitation for appropriate contraction of the TrA.