Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 M.Sc. in Sport Injury & Corrective Exercises, University of Isfahan. Isfahan. Iran

2 Associate Professor, Department of Sport injury and corrective Movements, Faculty of Physical Education and Sports Sciences, University of Isfahan, Isfahan, Iran

3 Ph.D. of Sports Biomechanics, Assistant Professor in, Faculty of Sport Sciences, University of Isfahan, Iran.

Abstract

The role of the upper limbs in the common plank exercises is considered a limiting factor in targeting the core muscles The purpose of this study was to investigate the core muscles activation in plank with and without support on upper limbs during different body angles. Twenty-one healthy men 20-30 years participated in this study. The subjects performed the plank in two positions with support on the upper limb (by the TRX suspension device) and without support on the upper limb (by the researcher made device) at 20, 40, 60 and 80 of body angles. Each eight test was repeated twice for 5 seconds. The activity of rectus abdominis, external oblique, multifidus, erector spinae lumbar, and rectus femoris muscles were measured and compared. Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to examine the effects of upper limb on our outcomes. The results showed that there is no difference on core muscles activity between plank with and without support on upper limbs during different body angles (p=0.821). Changing the body angle (20, 40, 60 and 80 degrees) showed a main different on the core muscles activity in the both plank positions with and without support on upper limbs (P≤0.05). Not using the upper limbs in the plank exercises does not change the activity of the core muscles, and also the level of their activity increases through the gradual addition in the body angle.

Keywords

  1. Choi CW, Koo JW, Jeong YG. Comparison of trunk muscle activity during modified side-bridge exercises and traditional side bridge exercise. J Sport Rehabil. 2019;29(7):963-9.
  2. Devorski L, M Bazett-Jones D, Mangum LC, Glaviano NR. Muscle activation in the shoulder girdle and lumbopelvic-hip complex during common therapeutic exercises. J Sport Rehabil. 2022;31(1):31-7.
  3. Kasper K. Sports training principles. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2019;18(4):95-96.
  4. Barr KP, Griggs M, Cadby T. Lumbar stabilization: core concepts and current literature, Part 1. Am J Phys Med Rehabil. 2005;84(6):473-80.
  5. McGill S. Core training evidence translating to better performance and injury prevention. Strength Cond J. 2010;32(3):33–46.
  6. Escamilla RF, Lewis C, Pecson A, Imamura R, Andrews JR. Muscle activation among supine, prone, and side position exercises with and without a Swiss ball. Sports Health. 2016;8(4):372-9.
  7. Kavcic N, Grenier S, McGill SM. Quantifying tissue loads and spine stability while performing commonly prescribed low back stabilization exercises. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2004;29(20):2319-29.
  8. McGill S, Andersen J, Cannon J. Muscle activity and spine load during anterior chain whole body linkage exercises: the body saw, hanging leg raise and walkout from a push-up. J Sports Sci. 2015;33(4):419-26.
  9. Byrne JM, Bishop NS, Caines AM, Crane KA, Feaver AM, Pearcey GE. Effect of using a suspension training system on muscle activation during the performance of a front plank exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2014;28(11):3049-55.
  10. Li X, Liu H, Lin KY, Miao P, Zhang B-F, Lu S-W, et al. Effects of different sling settings on electromyographic activities of selected trunk muscles: a preliminary research. Biomed Res Int. 2020;2020:2945952.
  11. Strand SL, Hjelm J, Shoepe TC, Fajardo MA. Norms for an isometric muscle endurance test. J Hum Kinet. 2014;40:93-102.
  12. Gulmez I. Effects of angle variations in suspension push-up exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(4):1017-23.
  13. Maeo S, Chou T, Yamamoto M, Kanehisa H. Muscular activities during sling- and ground-based push-up exercise. BMC Res Notes. 2014;7:192.
  14. Calatayud J, Borreani S, Colado JC, Martin FF, Rogers ME, Behm DG, et al. Muscle activation during push-ups with different suspension training systems. J Sports Sci Med. 2014;13(3):502-510.
  15. Suprak DN, Dawes J, Stephenson MD. The effect of position on the percentage of body mass supported during traditional and modified push-up variants. J Strength Cond Res. 2011;25(2):497-503.
  16. Gouvali MK, Boudolos K. Dynamic and electromyographical analysis in variants of push-up exercise. J Strength Cond Res. 2005;19(1):146-51.
  17. Dillman CJ, Murray TA, Hintermeister RA. Biomechanical differences of open and closed chain exercises with respect to the shoulder. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation. 1994;3(3):228-38.
  18. McMullen J, Uhl TL. A kinetic chain approach for shoulder rehabilitation. J Athl Train. 2000;35(3):329-37.
  19. McGill SM. Low Back Disorders. 3rd Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics; 2015.
  20. McGill SM. Ultimate Back Fitness and Performance. 6th Waterloo, Canada: Backfitpro Inc; 2017.
  21. Kim JH, Kim YE, Bae SH, Kim KY. The effect of the neurac sling exercise on postural balance adjustment and muscular response patterns in chronic low back pain patients. J Phys Ther Sci. 2013;25(8):1015-9.
  22. Greene PF, Durall CJ, Kernozek TW. Intersession reliability and concurrent validity of isometric endurance tests for the lateral trunk muscles. J Sport Rehabil. 2012;21(2):161-6.
  23. McGill S, Juker D, Kropf P. Appropriately placed surface EMG electrodes reflect deep muscle activity (psoas, quadratus lumborum, abdominal wall) in the lumbar spine. J Biomech. 1996;29(11):1503-7.
  24. Hermens HJ, Freriks B, Disselhorst-Klug C, Rau G. Development of recommendations for SEMG sensors and sensor placement procedures. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2000;10(5):361-74.
  25. Konrad P. The ABC of EMG: a practical introduction to kinesiological Scottsdale, AZ: Noraxon USA, Inc; 2005.
  26. Cohen J. Statistical power analysis. Current Directions in Psychological Science. 1992;1(3):98-101.
  27. Kibler WB, Press J, Sciascia A. The role of core stability in athletic function. Sports Med. 2006;36(3):189-98.
  28. Santana, J. C., McGill, S., & Brown, L. E. Anterior and posterior serape: the rotational core. Strength & Conditioning Journal. 2015;37:8–13.
  29. Cugliari G, Boccia G. Core muscle activation in suspension training exercises. J Hum Kinet. 2017;56:61-71.
  30. Morat T, Holzer D, Trumpf R. Trunk muscle activation during dynamic sling training exercises. Int J Exerc Sci. 2019;12(1):590-601.