HIP-MUSCLE ACTIVITY IN MEN AND WOMEN DURING RESISTED SIDE STEPPING WITH DIFFERENT BAND POSITIONS

BACKGROUND & OBJECTIVE

Research has shown a link between weak hip external rotators and abductors and lower limb injury. An exercise often used to target these muscles is lateral side stepping with an elastic band secured around the lower extremities for resistance. Commonly the elastic band is secured around the knees or ankles.

To date, only one study has examined muscle activity during resisted side stepping with the elastic band placed around different anatomic locations. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate differences in muscle-activation and movement patterns between men and women as they performed resisted side stepping using 3 elastic-band locations.

METHODS

22 healthy college-aged adults, including 11 women and 11 men, were recruited for this study. Muscle-activity data were obtained using a surface electromyography (EMG) system, while participants side-stepped with a resistive band wrapped around the lower limbs in 1 of the 3 tested band positions: around the knees, ankles, or feet. At the knees, the band was placed just proximal to the lateral femoral epicondyles. At the ankles, the band was placed just proximal to the lateral malleoli. On the feet, the band was placed at the level of the metatarsal heads.

VIDEO:

RESULTS

Gluteus maximus:

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