The Effect of Push-up Exercise with Different Lower Limb Heights on the Trunk and the Shoulder Stabilizing Muscles

抄録

[Purpose] In this study, to investigate the effect of various lower limb heights on the muscle stabilizers and the trunk muscles, we measured the muscle activation of the trunk muscles and the shoulder girdle muscles as different lower limb heights. [Subjects] The subjects of this study were 17 healthy adults in their 20s who had normal range of motion and who had no disorders of the shoulder complex, musculoskeletal disease in the upper limbs, or low back pain. [Methods] The lower limb height was controlled during the push-up plus exercise by placing the lower limbs on the ground (0 cm) or elevating them to 30 cm using a box. The height was increased to 60 cm using a Bobath table. To prevent the effect of muscle fatigue, all exercises were randomly performed. To measure muscle activation in the trunk, electrodes were attached to the erector spinae, rectus abdominis, and external oblique abdominal muscle. The serratus anterior, deltoid middle fiber, pectoralis major, and triceps brachii muscle were chosen as scapular stabilizers. [Results] The activities of the erector spinae, rectus abdominis, serratus anterior and that of the deltoid middle fiber increased as the lower limb height increased. In particular, the increase was significant at the level of 60 cm. [Conclusion] Our result that the muscle activation of the shoulder girdle muscles increases as the height of the lower limbs increases during push-up exercise is similar to those of the previous studies. The muscle activities of trunk muscles was also increased. The increase was significant at the lower limb height of 60 cm.