Purpose: This study was to investigate the activity of the rectus abdominis(RA), transversus abdominis/internal abdominal oblique(TrA/IO), external abdominal oblique(EO) and multifidus(MF) muscle during abdominal hollowing(AH) in four different positi...
Purpose: This study was to investigate the activity of the rectus abdominis(RA), transversus abdominis/internal abdominal oblique(TrA/IO), external abdominal oblique(EO) and multifidus(MF) muscle during abdominal hollowing(AH) in four different positions: crook lying , prone lying, four point kneeling and wall support standing. Methods: Thirty-three healthy participants, aged 24.21±2.99 years were recruited for this study. Each participants were trained to perform maximal voluntary contraction(MVC) and AH. Each muscle were recorded by surface electromyography(EMG) during both MVC and AH. The level of activation during AH was normalized as a percentage of MVC. Results: Significant differences in muscle activities of TrA/IO and MF were seen relatively to four different positions. The TrA/IO exhibited the highest muscle activity in both prone lying and wall support standing, while RA and EO exhibited relatively minimal activity. The MF exhibited the highest muscle activity in wall support standing. Conclusion: Prone lying and wall support standing positions can facilitate TrA/IO activity with minimal activity from RA and EO. In addition, wall support standing position can facilitate MF activity.