Changes of abdominal muscle thickness during stable and unstable surface bridging exercise in young people

Abstract

The aim of this study was to measure the muscle architectural parameters of abdominal muscles in healthy individuals by rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) and to investigate their changes after bridging exercise in various environments. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The study included 40 healthy participants (19 men, 21 women). Subjects were randomly allocated to a stable surface group (SG, n=20) or an unstable surface group (UG, n=20). The participants assumed three positions in rest, bridging exercise with knee flexion 60 o , and bridging exercise with knee flexion 90 o for the measurement of abdominal muscle thickness by RUSI. For the resting position, the participants held the head neutral in a hook-lying position and the dominant side was measured. For contraction, the participants performed the bridging exercise with the knee joint in 60 o and 90 o of flexion for 10 seconds each. Results: For transversus abdominis, external oblique muscle thickness, within the stable surface group and the unstable surface group, no significant contraction difference was observed in both the 60 o and 90 o bridge exercise conditions. Contraction difference of internal oblique muscle was significantly larger at 90 o than at 60 o within the SG (p<0.05). But within the UG, no significant contraction difference was shown. There was no significant contraction difference between the surface group and the unstable SG at 60 o condition and at 90 o condition in all measured muscles. Conclusions: The contraction difference is different for each muscle during bridge exercise with knee flexion 60 o and bridging exercise with knee flexion 90 o. Muscle contraction difference is generally large when exercised on an unstable surface than a stable surface, but these are not statistically significant when bridging exercise is performed using dynamic air cushion for unstable surface.

Reliability of rehabilitative ultrasound imaging for measuring the gluteus maximus muscle at rest and during contraction

“…Rehabilitative ultrasound imaging (RUSI) has been used advantageously by physiotherapists to measure muscle morphology. RUSI also can provide visual feedback as an exercise guide and can be used to measure both static and dynamic muscle tissue in the state of contraction [1][2][3][4][5]. RUSI has been used to address research and study questions regarding a variety of muscles [6].…”