The Effect of Suspension Exercises on Muscular Activities: A Narrative Review

Abstract

Suspension exercises are functional exercises that combine closed kinetic chain exercises with an unstable environment as an alternative to traditional strengthening exercises. The specific effects of suspension exercises on muscular activities must be better understood. Therefore, this review aimed to compare the activities of different muscles in suspension exercises with their traditional counterparts. For this purpose, a search was conducted using the Medline (PubMed), Embase, and Cochrane Library databases in August 2022. Studies investigating the effect of suspension exercises on muscular activations and comparing them with their conventional counterparts were included in the review. Eight studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria. It was observed that suspension exercises increased activation in most muscle groups compared to conventional exercises, while there was no difference in activation in specific muscles. Therefore, it is essential to use a combination of traditional and suspension exercises for optimal performance with individualized planning.