Abstract
The purpose of this study was to determine which training, Straight Leg Raising (SLR) or quadriceps femoris muscle setting (QS) training, selectively activates the vastus medialis obliquus (VMO) muscles. In addition, we examined whether abduction loads modify VMO activities throughout the trainings.
Thirty healthy college-aged volunteers participated into this study. The muscle activities during SLR and VMO were measured via a surface electromyogram. The VMO activity during SLR training indicated only 16%, whereas that during QS training indicated 60% of the maximum voluntary contraction. No significant effect of abduction loads was found during SLR exercise, although a significant increase in VMO/VL ratio was observed during QS training.
We believe that the QS training will be more appropriate for specific activation in the VMO muscles than the SLR training.
