Search

Objective: To examine the effect of a progressive bridging exercise on force, time, and pressure during the extension phase of sit-to-stand, and on sit-to-stand ability in individuals with stroke. Design: A single-blinded randomised controlled trial. Setting: Hospital. Participants: Forty-eight individuals with acute ischemic stroke, not at brainstem and cerebellum, randomly allocated to the intervention (n = 24) and control (n = 24) groups. Five participants dropped out during the 2-month follow-up, but they were in the intention-to-treat analysis. Interventions : The intervention group undertook a 45-min conventional physiotherapy and a 30-min progressive bridging exercise. The control group received only the conventional exercise. Main measures: Peak vertical ground reaction force, time to peak force, peak foot pressure, and regional peak foot pressure during the extension phase of sit-to-stand, and sitting-to-standing item of the Motor Assessment Scale were assessed before training, after 4-week training, and 2-month follow-up. Results: The intervention group showed significantly (p < 0.001) less difference in peak vertical ground reaction force between feet during the extension phase of sit-to-stand than the control after 4-week training (mean ± standard deviation; intervention, 5.38 ± 3.99; control, 17.1 ± 10.3) and 2-month follow-up (intervention, 6.79 ± 3.84; control, 17.5 ± 9.89), and demonstrated significantly (p < 0.001) higher score in sit-to-stand than the control after training [mean (interquartile range); intervention, 5 (2-5); control, 2 (1-2)] and follow-up [intervention, 2 (2-5); control, 2 (1-2)]. Both groups demonstrated peak foot pressure on the medial and lateral heels, metatarsals, and hallux regions. Conclusion : Progressive bridging exercise improved symmetrical weight bearing during the extension phase of sit-to-stand, consequently enhanced sit-to-stand ability in individuals with stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The purpose of this study was to investigate how rectus abdominis, external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), erector spinae, multifidus (MF), and gluteus maximus (GMax) muscle activities change with different hip positions during back and side bridging exercises., Methods: Thirty-six healthy individuals participated in this cross-sectional study and performed 6 exercises including back bridging (BB) in neutral hip position, BB with internal rotation, BB with external rotation (BB + ER), side bridging with hips in neutral (SB), side bridging with hips in flexion (SB + HF), and side bridging with hips in extension (SB + HE). Muscle activity was observed using surface electromyography, normalized using maximum voluntary isometric contraction. Repeated-measures 1-way analysis of variance compared muscle readings for each position., Results: Back bridging with internal rotation showed significant differences in EO (P = .01) and IO (P < .001) compared with other BB positions. Multifidus and GMax differed significantly in BB + ER (P = .04). Side bridging exhibited significant differences in EO (P = .02; P < .001) and IO (P < .001) compared with the other 2 SB positions, with peak in SB + HF. Erector spinae, MF, and GMax also differed significantly (P < .001, P = .02, P < .001, respectively) with peak in SB + HE., Conclusion: The findings revealed that EO and IO muscles were most active during BB with internal rotation, whereas the MF and GMax muscles were most active during BB + ER. In terms of SB, the EO and IO muscles were most active with either SB + HF or SB + HE, whereas the erector spinae, MF, and GMax muscles were most active with SB + HE., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Bridging exercise variations are well researched and commonly employed for both rehabilitation and sport performance. However, resisted bridge exercise variations have not yet been compared in a controlled experimental study. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the differences in upper and lower gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and vastus lateralis electromyography (EMG) amplitude for the barbell, band, and American hip thrust variations. Thirteen healthy female subjects (age = 28.9 y; height = 164.3 cm; body mass = 58.2 kg) familiar with the hip thrust performed 10 repetitions of their 10-repetition maximum of each variation in a counterbalanced and randomized order. The barbell hip thrust variation elicited statistically greater mean gluteus maximus EMG amplitude than the American and band hip thrusts, and statistically greater peak gluteus maximus EMG amplitude than the band hip thrust (P ≤ .05), but no other statistical differences were observed. It is recommended that resisted bridging exercise be prescribed according to the individual's preferences and desired outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/Objectives: The purpose of this study is to propose the effective posture of bridge exercise by comparing and analyzing the muscle activity of the internal oblique abdominal, external oblique abdominal, rectus abdominal and transverses abdominals, when performing bridge exercise with visual blocking and varying the stance. Method/Statistical analysis: Muscle activity was measured by EMG. the study conducted a study of 30 people who do not have neurological disorder such as fracture, damage to the muscle and ligament, etc. for past 6 months For the experimental group, the stance was set to 100%, 50% and 150% of the shoulder width, the muscle activation was measured total 6 exercises by dividing into visual blocking and the stance and all the measured values were analyzed using ANOVA repeated measurement. Findings: In the results of this study, all the internal oblique abdominal, external oblique abdominal, rectus abdominal and transverses abdominals showed higher muscle activation during the bridge exercise with visual blocking and representing significant difference. When the bridge exercise was performed with the stance of 50% shoulder width, the muscle activation was the highest and the difference by muscle according to the breadth of foot was varied. Improvements/Applications: In conclusion, it is deemed that the bridge exercise with visual blocking and narrow foot width will be the more effective posture to improve the muscle activation and to stabilize the body. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study is to compare the activity of the trunk muscles on the unstable surface (US) and on the whole body vibration (WBV) during the bridging exercise mainly used for increasing the trunk stability in clinic research. The study randomly divided 32 healthy males into two groups. Both groups performed 3 types of position (the supine position, the prone position, and the sidelying position) on the US (Group A) and on the WBV (Group B). The surface electromyography was used to measure the muscle activity of the trunk muscles (rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, multifidus and erector spinae). When the bridging exercise was practiced in the supine position, the activities of the internal oblique, multifidus, and erector spinae were significantly increased on the WBV more than on the US (p<0.05). In the prone position, the activities of the rectus abdominis, multifidus, external oblique, internal oblique, and erector spinae were significantly increased on the WBV more than on the US (p<0.05). It is thought that the bridging exercise on the WBV is more effective at increasing trunk's muscle activation than on the US and that the intervention method of the WBV can be utilized as the bridging exercise program intervention used in the exercise method of the trunk stability in clinical research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose To investigate how the erector spinae (ES) and gluteus maximus (GM) muscle activity and the anterior pelvic tilt angle change with different hip abduction angles during a bridging exercise. Methods Twenty healthy participants (10 males and 10 females, aged 21.6 ± 1.6) voluntarily participated in this study. Surface electromyography (EMG) signals were recorded from the ES and GM during bridging at three hip abduction angles: 0°, 15°, and 30°. Simultaneously, the anterior pelvic tilt angle was measured using Image J software. Results The EMG amplitude of the GM muscle and the GM/ES EMG ratio were greatest at 30° hip abduction, followed by 15° and then 0° hip abduction during the bridging exercise. In contrast, the ES EMG amplitude at 30° hip abduction was significantly lesser than that at 0° and 15° abduction. Additionally, the anterior pelvic tilt angle was significantly lower at 30° hip abduction than at 0° or 15°. Conclusions Bridging with 30° hip abduction can be recommended as an effective method to selectively facilitate GM muscle activity, minimize compensatory ES muscle activity, and decrease the anterior pelvic tilt angle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study aimed to identify the electromyographic (EMG) effects in selected trunk muscles after incorporating hip movement into bridging exercise. Twenty-six healthy adults (13 men and 13 women) volunteered for this experiment. EMG data (% maximum voluntary isometric contraction) were recorded from the rectus abdominis (RA), obliquus internus (OI), erector spinae (ES), and multifidus (MF) muscles of the dominant side while the subjects performed 3 types of bridging exercise, including bridging alone (Bridging 1), bridging with unilateral hip movements (Bridging 2), and bridging with bilateral hip movements (Bridging 3) in a sling suspension system. The RA and OI showed greater EMG activity during Bridging 2 and 3 compared to Bridging 1, with the greatest OI activity during Bridging 3 (p < 0.05), and the activity of the MF appeared to be greater during Bridging 3 than during Bridging 1 and 2 (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the OI/RA and MF/ES ratios were significantly higher for Bridging 2 (OI/RA = 1.89 ± 1.41; MF/ES = 1.03 ± 0.19) and Bridging 3 (OI/RA = 2.34 ± 1.86; MF/ES = 1.03 ± 0.15) than Bridging 1 (IO/RA = 1.35 ± 0.92; MF/ES = 0.98 ± 0.16). The OI/RA ratio was significantly higher for Bridging 3 than for Bridging 2. Based on these results, adding hip abduction and adduction, particularly bilateral movements, could be a useful method to enhance OI and MF EMG activity and their activities relative to global muscles during bridging exercise. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The aims of this study were to compare the activation of global and local muscles of the trunk during bridging with sling exercise (BSE), bridging with ball exercise (BBE), and normal bridging exercise (NBE) and to conduct and analyze these exercises in supine and prone positions to prove the effectiveness of sling exercises. Thirty patients with current low back pain (LBP) were recruited. In the supine and prone bridging exercise, each subject lifted their pelvis with their legs and feet in contact with the sling, ball, or normal surface. The electrical activities of the inferior oblique (IO), rectus abdominis (RA), multifidus (MF), and erector spinae (ES) muscles during the bridging exercises on the 3 surfaces were measured using surface electromyography (sEMG). For normalization, maximum sEMG signals were evaluated during each maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) maneuver. The root mean square during the exercise was normalized as a percentage of the MVIC (%MVIC). In the supine and prone positions, %MVIC of the IO, RA, MF, and ES during BSE was significantly higher than those during BBE and NBE (p < 0.05). In the supine position, %MVIC of the RA and ES during BBE was significantly higher than that during NBE (p < 0.05). In the prone position, all %MVIC during BBE were significantly higher than NBE (p < 0.05). These results verify the theory that the use of an unstable surface increases the activation of global and local trunk muscles during bridging exercises in the supine and prone positions. In conclusion, the use of BSE in a rehabilitation program may have therapeutic effects for patients with LBP by increasing trunk muscle activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Purpose] The purposes of this study were to strengthen gluteus maximus and trunk muscles depending upon the hip joint direction by bridging exercise on an unstable and stable surface, and to suggest an intervention method for efficient and selective exercise. [Participants and Methods] The test measured the muscle activities with the external rotation and internal rotation of 25 degrees and hip joint neutral position of 0 degree on a stable and unstable surface each exercise 3 times for 9 seconds. [Results] External oblique abdominis showed a higher muscle activity on the unstable surface and internal rotation. Erector spinae showed no significant difference on the surfaces and demonstrated the highest muscle activity at the internal rotation. Gluteus maximus showed a higher muscle activity on the stable surface and external rotation and the interaction effect between the surface and the angle indicated a statistical significance as well. [Conclusion] Muscle activities appear different depending upon the change of surface and joint angle, and it can be said that the correct mobilization of muscle fiber relying on the muscle arrangement direction and muscle contraction direction is the most important factor for gluteus maximus.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of trunk stabilization exercise on the transvers abdominalis (TA) and internal oblique (IO) muscle activity and balance ability of normal subjects. [Subjects and Methods] Forty healthy male subjects without orthopedic history of the lower extremity were selected for the present study. The experimental group received a hollowing exercise, curl-up and bridging exercise. The control group received a pelvic tilting exercise in the sitting position for the same period of time. [Results] Significant differences in the post-training gains in Balance index, TA, IO were observed between the experimental group and the control group. [Conclusion] The trunk stabilization exercise improved the balance ability and increased the activity of the TA and IO muscle.

[Purpose] This study investigated the effects of the bridging plus exercise with heel lift on lower extremity muscles. [Subjects and Methods] Nine healthy males participated. The subjects performed bridging exercises under two conditions. Surface electromyography was used to measure the electrical activities of the medial hamstring (MH) and the gluteus maximus (GM) muscles. [Results] Activation of the MH muscle during bridging with heel lift decreased, and activation of the GM muscle during bridging with heel lift increased compared to those with the bridging exercise. [Conclusion] This result showed that bridging plus exercises with heel lift could be an effective exercise for patients with compensatory mechanisms during bridging exercises, such as weak GM with hamstring tightness.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to investigate activities of the hip extensors and erector spinae during bridging exercise by using instruments with a laser pointer on the pelvic belt. [Subjects] Twelve subjects (age, 23 to 33 years) with non-specific low back pain volunteered for this study. [Methods] Subjects performed bridging exercises with and without trajectory exercises by using a laser pointer fixed to a pelvic strap. The erector spinae, gluteus maximus and hamstring activities with and without trajectory exercises using a laser pointer were recorded on using electromyography. [Results] Compared to the without laser pointer group, the group that underwent bridging with trajectory exercises using a laser pointer had significantly higher gluteus maximus activity and significantly lower erector spinae activity. Significantly higher gluteus maximus/erector spinae activity ratios were observed when performing trajectory exercises using a laser pointer during bridging exercises. [Conclusion] This result suggests that trajectory exercises using a laser pointer during a bridging exercise would be effective for improving gluteus maximus activity.

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of an unstable surface on trunk and lower extremity muscle activities during various types of bridging exercises. [Subjects] Thirty healthy female adults voluntarily participated in this study. [Methods] All subjects were asked to perform 3 different bridging exercises (bridging exercise, single leg lift bridging exercise, single leg cross bridging exercise) with and without an unstable surface. The trunk and lower extremity muscle activities were measured by using surface electromyography during bridging exercise. [Results] During the bridging exercise (BE), single leg lift bridging exercise (LBE), and single leg cross bridging exercise (CBE), the muscle activities of the external oblique muscle (EO), erector spinae (ES), and biceps femoris (BF) were significantly higher on an unstable surface than on a stable surface. The muscle activities of the EO on both sides, contralateral BF, and ipsilateral ES were significantly higher during LBE than during BE and CBE. [Conclusion] Use of an unstable surface increases muscle activity of the trunk and lower extremities, and single leg lift bridging exercise increases the muscle activity of the EO on both sides, ipsilateral ES, and contralateral BF.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of bridging exercise on different support surfaces on the thickness of the musculus transversus abdominis and lower extremity muscle activities. [Subjects] Thirty-five students of H University. [Methods] The experimental group (n=18) performed bridging exercise on the sling support surface, and the control group (n=17) performed bridging exercise on a general support surface. [Results] Thickness changes in the musculus transversus abdominis were 0.35 cm in the experimental group, and 0.17 cm in the control group, suggesting that the experimental group showed a more significant change. For the lower extremity muscular activity, there was a significant difference between the experimental group and the control group only in the biceps femoris muscle. [Conclusion] Based on these results, we consider that bridging exercise on a sling support surface would increase the thickness of the transversus abdominis and lower extremity muscle activities in rehabilitation programs for patients with back pain.

[Purpose] This study compared the activities of the abdominal and hip extensor muscles between the bridging exercise (BE) and bridging exercise with hip adduction (BEHA) positions in women using electromyography (EMG). [Subjects] We recruited 14 healthy adult females with no history of low back pain. [Methods] The subjects performed bridging exercises with and without hip adduction. The EMG activities of the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), and gluteus maximus (GM) muscles were recorded. [Result] The EMG activities of all muscles were significantly increased during the BEHA compared to the BE. [Conclusion] The bridging exercise with hip adduction produced greater activation of the abdominal and hip extensor muscles.

[Purpose] This study investigated the muscle activity differences of three different lumbar stabilization exercises in a comparison of middle-aged and young women. [Subjects] Seventeen middle-aged women and fifteen young women were enrolled in this study. Patients with a history of any neurologic disorders, orthopedic disorders, or cardiopulmonary problems that would have affected their lumbar stabilization exercise performance were excluded. [Methods] All subjects performed 3 exercises while the surface electromographic activity was recorded of the rectus abdominis, internal oblique, multifidus, and iliocostalis lumbolum. The mean electromyographic amplitudes obtained during the exercise were normalized to the amplitude of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC) to produce an inter-individually comparable muscle activity index. [Results] The highest muscle activity of middle-aged women was observed in the ring bridging exercise. The middle-aged women had higher levels of all muscle activaties than the young women, particularly in the multifidus muscle and iliocostalis lumborum. No significant difference in muscle activity ratio was observed between the local muscles and global muscles in the three different exercises, though the muscle activity ratio was the highest in the ring bridging exercise. The young women group showed a higher ratio of the internal oblique/rectus abdominus than the middle aged women in the bridging exercise. [Conclusion] The ring bridging exercise should be used for stabilizing the lumbar area because the young women showed a higher ratio than the middle aged women.

[Purpose] The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of the flexion angle of the knee joint and the abduction angle of the hip joint on the activation of the cervical region and abdominal muscles. [Subjects] A total of 42 subjects were enrolled 9 males and 33 females. [Methods] The bridging exercise in this study was one form of exercise with a knee joint flexion angle of 90°. Based on this, a bridging exercise was conducted at the postures of abduction of the lower extremities at 0, 5, 10, and 15°. [Result] The changes in the knee joint angle and the hip abduction angle exhibited statistically significant effects on the cervical erector spinae, adductor magnus, and gluteus medius muscles. The abduction angles did not result in statistically significant effects on the upper trapezium, erector spinae, external oblique, and rectus abdominis muscles. However, in relation to the knee joint angles, during the bridging exercise, statistically significant results were exhibited. [Conclusion] When patients with both cervical and back pain do a bridging exercise, widening the knee joint angle would reduce cervical and shoulder muscle activity through minimal levels of abduction, permitting trunk muscle strengthening with reduced cervical muscle activity. This method would be helpful for strengthening trunk muscles in a selective manner.

The aims of this study were to compare the activation of global and local muscles of the trunk during bridging with sling exercise (BSE), bridging with ball exercise (BBE), and normal bridging exercise (NBE) and to conduct and analyze these exercises in supine and prone positions to prove the effectiveness of sling exercises. Thirty patients with current low back pain (LBP) were recruited. In the supine and prone bridging exercise, each subject lifted their pelvis with their legs and feet in contact with the sling, ball, or normal surface. The electrical activities of the inferior oblique (IO), rectus abdominis (RA), multifidus (MF), and erector spinae (ES) muscles during the bridging exercises on the 3 surfaces were measured using surface electromyography (sEMG). For normalization, maximum sEMG signals were evaluated during each maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) maneuver. The root mean square during the exercise was normalized as a percentage of the MVIC (%MVIC). In the supine and prone positions, %MVIC of the IO, RA, MF, and ES during BSE was significantly higher than those during BBE and NBE (p < 0.05). In the supine position, %MVIC of the RA and ES during BBE was significantly higher than that during NBE (p < 0.05). In the prone position, all %MVIC during BBE were significantly higher than NBE (p < 0.05). These results verify the theory that the use of an unstable surface increases the activation of global and local trunk muscles during bridging exercises in the supine and prone positions. In conclusion, the use of BSE in a rehabilitation program may have therapeutic effects for patients with LBP by increasing trunk muscle activation. Key pointsCompared with the BBE and NBE, the BSE increased the %MVIC values of the IO, RA, MF, and ES muscles in the supine and prone positions in the patients with LBP.We verified that activation of the global and local trunk muscles was increased by the use of unstable surfaces during the bridging exercises in the supine and prone positions.The BSE was shown to be an effective exercise method for patients with LBP in a rehabilitation program by increasing trunk muscle activation.