Looped Elastic Resistance during Squats: How Do Band Position and Stiffness Affect Hip Myoelectric Activity?

Abstract

Looped elastic bands around the thigh are commonly used during squats and result in increased hip activation. Due to the closed kinetic chain nature of the squat exercise, one may expect that placing the elastic band on distal segments, close to the floor contact, may not result in the same increase in hip muscle activation as that achieved with a looped band around the thigh. We analyzed the effects of band position (thigh, lower leg, and forefoot) and band stiffness on the myoelectric activity of the tensor fascia latae, gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis during squats in 35 healthy subjects (18 men and 17 women). The greatest myoelectric activity of hip muscles was observed when the stiffest band was positioned around the forefeet with an increase in 24% for the tensor fascia latae, 83% for the gluteus medius, and 68% for the gluteus maximus compared to free (without resistance band) squatting. Contrary to previous thinking, the use of elastic bands around the forefeet during squats can elicit increased myoelectric activity of hip muscles, with a magnitude often greater than when the band is placed around the thigh segments.

The Use of Elastic Resistance Bands to Reduce Dynamic Knee Valgus in Squat-Based Movements: A Narrative Review

“…This may explain why other lower limb muscles also exhibit greater muscle activity while using an elastic band. Both gluteus medius (shown in five of eight stud- ies) 9,12,47-49 and biceps femoris (shown in two of six studies) 48,49 muscle activity increased with band usage. Interestingly, three investigations reported a decrease in vastus lateralis muscle activity with band usage during at least one portion of the squat movement, 9,12,48 although one study had an increase in vastus lateralis activity, 49 and two had a similar decrease in vastus medialis activity.…”

“…Both gluteus medius (shown in five of eight stud- ies) 9,12,47-49 and biceps femoris (shown in two of six studies) 48,49 muscle activity increased with band usage. Interestingly, three investigations reported a decrease in vastus lateralis muscle activity with band usage during at least one portion of the squat movement, 9,12,48 although one study had an increase in vastus lateralis activity, 49 and two had a similar decrease in vastus medialis activity. 9,12 Considered collectively, this evidence suggests that elastic bands may not just promote external rotation of the hip, but they may also encourage greater utilization of the hip extensors (shown by increases in gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and biceps femoris muscle activity), and reduce reliance of the knee extensors (shown by decreases in vastus medialis and vastus lateralis muscle activity) while performing squat-based movements.…”

“…In the muscles that demonstrated an effect of elastic band usage, the relationship between muscle activity and elastic band resistance was almost linear, with muscle activity highest while performing squats with the strongest elastic bands. 9,12,49 Similarly, medial knee collapse (measured indirectly with KWI 12 and directly with knee valgus joint angles 9 ) increased with increasing band resistance. Thus, while stronger bands likely yield greater levels of lower limb muscle activity, which may be beneficial in training the external rotators of the hip for squat-based movements, they also result in greater medial knee collapse.…”