EFFECTS OF CORE STABILIZATION EXERCISE ON MUSCLE ACTIVITY DURING HORIZONTAL SHOULDER ADDUCTION WITH LOADS IN HEALTHY ADULTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY

Abstract

The importance of core stabilization exercises for extremities associated with dynamic spinal stabilization prior to movement has been demonstrated. However, no previous studies have investigated the muscle-coordinated effects on the upper trapezius (UT), anterior deltoid (AD), pectoralis major (PM), bilateral transverse abdominis (TrA), bilateral internal oblique (IO), and bilateral external oblique (EO) in healthy adults. The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of the dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) breathing technique and the abdominal bracing (AB) technique on UT, AD, PM, bilateral IO/TrA, and bilateral EO motor control in healthy participants during horizontal shoulder adduction. Thirty-six participants, eight of whom were female, were randomized into an AB and a DNS group and performed horizontal shoulder adduction with loads (8 and 17 lb). The clinical outcomes were UT, AD, and PM muscle activation and TrA/IO and EO muscle activation. Paired t-tests were used to analyze electromyography (EMG) data to determine statistically significant differences in muscle activity between the two techniques. For the EMG analysis, the maximal voluntary isometric contraction was measured for normalization and then divided by the EMG amplitude value. The results showed that UT, AD, and PM muscle amplitudes were lower and TrA/IO and EO muscle amplitudes were higher with DNS than with AB ([Formula: see text]). Our findings provide clinical evidence that core exercise with DNS is more effective in lessening UT, AD, and PM muscle activation and improving bilateral TrA/IO motor control than with AB.