Muscle thickness of lateral abdominal muscles in sitting and standing positions during abdominal drawing-in maneuver and abdominal bracing among healthy adults
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Background: Spinal stabilization exercises, such as abdominal drawing maneuvers (ADIM) and abdominal bracing (AB), are crucial in alleviating low back pain, especially in functional positions such as sitting and standing. However, few studies have investigated the contraction patterns of the lateral abdominal muscles during ADIM and AB in these daily living positions (i.e., sitting and standing).
Objective: The study aimed to investigate the thickness of transverse abdominis (TrA), internal abdominal oblique (IO), and external abdominal oblique (EO) during ADIM and AB between sitting and standing positions.
Materials and methods: Twenty-four healthy adults (12 males, 12 females) without low back pain or other orthopedic conditions were assessed in sitting and standing positions while performing ADIM and AB. Real-time ultrasound imaging was used to measure the thickness of the TrA, IO, and EO during the ADIM and AB.
Results: Muscle thickness of TrA and IO was significantly greater during ADIM when compared to AB (p<0.05). TrA thickness during AB was significantly greater in sitting than standing (p<0.05), but ADIM showed no difference in both positions. ADIM and AB can produce contraction of the lateral abdominal muscles (LAM) in both sitting and standing positions.
Conclusion: ADIM and AB can produce contraction of the LAM in both sitting and standing positions. However, ADIM can activate TrA and IO muscles better than AB. Therefore, clinicians may initially consider using ADIM to teach individuals who need core stability exercises such as low back pain.
Article Details
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.
Personal views expressed by the contributors in their articles are not necessarily those of the Journal of Associated Medical Sciences, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University.
References
Panjabi MM. Clinical spinal instability and low back pain. J Electromyogr Kinesiol. 2003; 13(4): 371-9. doi: 10.1016/S1050-6411(03)00044-0.
Panjabi MM. The stabilizing system of the spine. Part I. Function, dysfunction, adaptation, and enhancement.
J Spinal Disord. 1992; 5(4): 383-9. doi: 10.1097/00002517-199212000-00001.
Ishida H, Watanabe S. Maximum expiration activates the abdominal muscles during side bridge exercise. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2014; 27(4): 481-4. doi: 10.3233/BMR-140469.
Ehsani F, Arab AM, Assadi H, Karimi N, Shanbehzadeh S. Evaluation of pelvic floor muscles activity with and without abdominal maneuvers in subjects with and without low back pain. J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil. 2016; 29(2): 241-7. doi: 10.3233/BMR-150620.
Akuthota V, Ferreiro A, Moore T, Fredericson M. Core stability exercise principles. Curr Sports Med Rep. 2008; 7(1): 39-44. doi: 10.1097/01.CSMR.0000308663.13278.69.
Urquhart DM, Hodges PW, Allen TJ, Story IH. Abdominal muscle recruitment during a range of voluntary exercises. Man Ther. 2005; 10(2): 144-53. doi: 10.1016/J.MATH. 2004.08.011.
Tayashiki K, Takai Y, Maeo S, Kanehisa H. Intra-abdominal pressure and trunk muscular activities during abdominal bracing and hollowing. Int J Sports Med. 2016; 37(2): 134-43. doi: 10.1055/S-0035-1559771.
Paungmali A, Joseph LH, Sitilertpisan P, Pirunsan U, Uthaikhup S. Lumbopelvic core stabilization exercise and pain modulation among individuals with chronic nonspecific low back pain. Pain Practice. 2017; 17(8): 1008-14. doi: 10.1111/papr.12552.
Joseph LH, Hancharoenkul B, Sitilertpisan P, Pirunsan U, Paungmali A. Comparison of effects between core stability training and sports massage therapy among elite weightlifters with chronic non-specific low back pain: a randomized cross-over study. Asian J Sports Med. 2018; 9(1): e58644. doi: 10.5812/asjsm.58644.
Lis AM, Black KM, Korn H, Nordin M. Association between sitting and occupational LBP. Eur Spine J. 2007; 16(2): 283-98. doi: 10.1007/s00586-006-0143-7.
Tsartsapakis I, Pantazi GA, Konstantinidou A, Zafeiroudi A, Kellis E. Spinal muscle thickness and activation during abdominal hollowing and bracing in CrossFit® athletes. Sports. 2023; 11(8): 159. doi: 10.3390/sports11080159.
Escamilla RF, Lewis C, Pecson A, Imamura R, Andrews JR. Muscle activation among supine, prone, and side position exercises with and without a Swiss ball. Sports Health. 2016; 8(4): 372-9. doi: 10.1177/1941738116653931.
Moghadam N, Ghaffari MS, Noormohammadpour P, Rostami M, Zarei M, Moosavi M, et al. Comparison of the recruitment of transverse abdominis through drawing-in and bracing in different core stability training positions. J Exerc Rehabil. 2019; 15(6): 819- 25. doi: 10.12965/jer.1939064.352.
Madokoro S, Yokogawa M, Miaki H. Effect of the abdominal draw-in maneuver and bracing on abdominal muscle thickness and the associated subjective difficulty in healthy individuals. Healthcare. 2020; 8(4): 496. doi: 10.3390/healthcare8040496.
Joseph LH, Hussain RI, Naicker AS, Htwe O, Pirunsan U, Paungmali A. Pattern of changes in local and global muscle thickness among individuals with sacroiliac joint dysfunction. Hong Kong Physiother J. 2015; 33(1): 28-33. doi: 10.1016/j.hkpj.2014.12.003.
Lee SH, Kim TH, Lee BH. The Effect of abdominal bracing in combination with low extremity movements on changes in thickness of abdominal muscles and lumbar strength for low back pain. J Phys Ther Sci. 2014; 26(1): 157-60. doi: 10.1589/jpts.26.157.
Teyhen DS, Miltenberger CE, Deiters HM, et al. The use of ultrasound imaging of the abdominal drawingin maneuver in subjects with low back pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2005; 35(6): 346-55. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2005.35.6.346.
Hides J, Wilson S, Stanton W, McMahon S, Keto H, McMahon K, et al. An MRI investigation into the function of the transversus abdominis muscle during “drawing-in” of the abdominal wall. Spine (Phila Pa 1976). 2006; 31(6): E175-8. doi: 10.1097/01.brs.0000202740.86338.df.
Teyhen DS, Bluemle LN, Dolbeer JA, et al. Changes in lateral abdominal muscle thickness during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver in those with lumbopelvic pain. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2009; 39(11), 791–8. doi.org/10.2519/JOSPT.2009.3128.
Cresswell AG, Oddsson L, Thorstensson A. The influence of sudden perturbations on trunk muscle activity and intra-abdominal pressure while standing. Exp Brain Res. 1994; 98(2): 336-41. doi: 10.1007/BF00228421.
Richardson CA, Jull GA. Muscle control–pain control. What exercises would you prescribe? Man Ther. 1995; 1(1): 2-10. doi: 10.1054/math.1995.0243.
Koh HW, Cho SH, Kim CY. Comparison of the effects of hollowing and bracing exercises on cross-sectional areas of abdominal muscles in middle-aged women. J Phys Ther Sci. 2014; 26(2): 295-9. doi: 10.1589/JPTS.26.295.
Maeo S, Takahashi T, Takai Y, Kanehisa H. Trunk muscle activities during abdominal bracing: comparison among muscles and exercises. J Sports Sci Med. 2013; 12(3): 467-74.
Chantry J, Crombie S. Functional posture. In: Handbook of electronic assistive technology. Elsevier; 2019:53- 80. doi: 10.1016/B978-0-12-812487-1.00003-X.
Bunce SM, Hough AD, Moore AP. Measurement of abdominal muscle thickness using M-mode ultrasound imaging during functional activities. Man Ther. 2004; 9(1): 41-4. doi: 10.1016/S1356-689X(03)00069-9.
Kermode F. Benefits of utilising real-time ultrasound imaging in the rehabilitation of the lumbar spine stabilising muscles following low back injury in the elite athlete - A single case study. Phys Ther Sport. 2004; 5(1): 13-6. doi: 10.1016/J.PTSP.2003.08.001.
Mew R. Comparison of changes in abdominal muscle thickness between standing and crook lying during active abdominal hollowing using ultrasound imaging. Man Ther. 2009; 14(6): 690-5. doi: 10.1016/j.math. 2009.05.003.
Whittaker JL, Stokes M. Ultrasound imaging and muscle function. J Orthop Sports Phys Ther. 2011; 41(8): 572-80. doi: 10.2519/jospt.2011.3682.