Training Status and Gender Effects on Sternocleidomastoid and Abdominal Muscles Activity during Curl-Up Exercise with Different Respiratory Cycle

Year 2017, Volume: 3 Issue: 1, 1 - 10, 25.04.2017

Hasan Sözen

https://doi.org/10.19127/mbsjohs.309373

Abstract

Objective: This study
aims to investigate sternocleidomastoid muscle (SCM) during curl-up exercise
with different inspiration and expiration cycle among subject with different
training status and gender, and the abdominal muscles in the targeted area.

Methods: 24 healthy
subjects volunteered to participate in the study. The data were gathered from
bilateral SCM, rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO) and transversus
abdominis/internal oblique (TrA/IO) muscles via surface electromyography (EMG).

Results: The analysis
of all the data gathered from the participants shows that the muscle activation
in EO right, TrA/IO right, TrA/IO left and RA right during curl-up exercise
with expiration is higher than activation during curl-up exercise with
inspiration. A comparison of sedentary and mean scores of participants during
curl-up exercise with expiration did not reveal any significant difference. A
comparison of mean scores of men and women during curl-up exercise with
expiration showed that the scores derived from females’ EO left and RA right
muscles is higher than the scores derived from the same muscles group of males.
However, when the average scores of male and female participants in the curl-up
movement with inspiration were compared, the scores derived from the same
muscle group of females is higher than that of males’.

Conclusion: As there is
no difference between genders and the contraction rates of SCM muscle, no
gender-specific suggestions can be made about respiration during curl-up for
the health of neck and cervical zone

Keywords

Curl-up exercise, abdominal muscles, sternocleidomastoid

References

• Adams L, Datta AK, Guz A. Synchronization of motor unit firing during different respiratory and postural tasks in human sternocleidomastoid muscle. The Journal of Physiology, 1989: 413:213-231.
• Axler CT, McGill SM. Low back loads over a variety of abdominal exercises: searching for the safest abdominal challenge. Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise, 1997: 29: 804-8011.
• Beim GM, Giraldo JL, Pincivero DM, Borror MJ, Fu FH. Abdominal strengthening exercises: A comparative EMG study. Journal of Sport Rehabilitation, 1997: 6: 11-20.
• Clark GT, Browne PA, Nakano M, Yang Q. Co-activation of sternocleidomastoid muscle during maximum clenching. Journal of Dental Research, 1993: 72: 1499 – 1502.
• Critchley DJ, Pierson Z, Battersby G. Effect of pilates mat exercises and conventional exercise programmes on transversus abdominis and obliquus internus abdominis activity: pilot randomized trial. Manual Therapy, 2011: 16: 183-189.
• De Luca CJA. Practicum on the Use of sEMG Signals in Movement Sciences. Delsys Inc; 2008. Criswell E. Cram’s Introduction to Surface Electromyography. Second Edition, Jones and Bartlett Publishers; 2011.
• Ellis H. The ribs and intercostal spaces. Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine, 2008: 9: 518-519. Neumann D. Kinesiology of the musculoskeletal system: foundation for physical rehabilitation. 2nd ed. Philadelphia: Mosby; 2009.
• Falla DL, Jull GA, Hodges PW. Patients with neck pain demonstrate reduced electromyographic activity of the deep cervical flexor muscles during performance of the craniocervical flexion test. Sine, 2004: 29: 2108-2114.
• Foster DN, Fulton MN. Back pain and the exercise prescription. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 1991: 10(1):197-209. Garcia FJV, Grenier SG, McGill SM. Abdominal muscle response during curl-ups on both stable and labile surfaces. Physical Therapy, 2000: 80: 564-569.
• Goldby LJ, Moore AP, Doust J, Trew ME. A randomized controlled trial investigating the efficiency of musculoskeletal physiotherapy on chronic low back disorder. Sine, 2006: 31:1083-1093. Hides JA, Lambrecht G, Richardson CA, Stanton WR, Armbrecht G, Pruett C, Damann V, Felsenberg D, Belavy DL. The effects of rehabilitation on the muscles of the trunk following prolonged bed rest. European Spine Journal, 2011: 20: 808-818.
• Hildenbrand K, Noble L. Abdominal muscle activity while performing trunk-flexion exercises using the Ab roller, AB slide, FitBall, and conventionally performed trunk curls. Journal of Athletic Training, 2004: 39(1): 37-43. Hodges PW. Core stability exercise in chronic low back pain. Orthopedic Clinics North America, 2003: 34: 245-254. Janda V, Schmid HJA. Muscles as a pathogenic factor in back pain. Proceedings of the Fourth
• Conference of the International Federation of Orthopaedic Manipulative Therapists. Christchurch, New Zealand, February, 1980. p. 17-18. Johannsen F, Remvig L, Kryger P, Beck P, Warmig S, Lybeck K, Dryer V, Larson LH. Exercise for chronic low back pain: A clinical trial. Journal of Orthopedic & Sports Physical Therapy, 1995: 22(2): 52-59.
• Jull GA. Deep cervical flexor muscle dysfunction in whiplash. Journal of Musculoskeletal Paint, 2000: 8: 143-154. Kelly M, Cardy N, Melvin E, Reddin C, Ward C, Wilson F. The craniocervical flexion test: an investigation of performance in young asymptomatic subjects. Manual Therapy, 2013: 18: 83-86.
• Konrad P. The ABC of EMG – A Practical Introduction to Kinesiological Electromyography. Noraxon, Arizona, USA; 2005. Lahad A, Malter AD, Berg AO, Deyo RA. The effectiveness of four interventions for the prevention of low back pain. Journal of the American Medical Association, 1994: 272: 1286-1291.
• McGill SM. Low back exercises: evidence for improving exercise regimens. Physical Therapy, 1998: 78: 754-765.
• Nepomuceno VR, Nepomuceno EM, Regalo SCH, Cerqueira EP, Souza RR. Electromyographic study on the sternocleidomastoid and pectoralis major muscle during respiratory activity in humans. Journal of Morphological Science, 2014: 31(2): 98-102.
• Norris CM. Abdominal muscle training in sport. British Journal of Sports Medicine, 1993: 27(1): 19-27.
• O’Leary S, Falla D, Jull G, Vicenzino B. Muscle specificity in tests of cervical flexor muscle performance. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 2007: 17:35-40.
• Rodriguez AA, Kilkey WJ, Agre JC. Therapeutic exercise in chronic neck and back pain. Archives of Physical edicine and Rehabilitation, 1992: 73: 870-875.
• Sterling M, Jull G, Wright A. Cervical mobilization: concurrent effects on pain, sympathetic nervous system activity and motor activity. Manual Therapy, 2001: 6: 72-81.
• Yoon T, Kim K, Cynn H. Slow expiration reduces sternocleidomastoid activity and increases transversus abdominis and internal oblique muscle activity during abdominal curl-up. Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 2014: 24: 228-232