Left–Right Differential Erector Spinae Muscles Activation in Prone and Quadruped Positions

in Journal of Applied Biomechanics

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Nader FarahpourKinesiology Department, Bu Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

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Mahboube AlemzadehKinesiology Department, Bu Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

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Mehri MohammadiDepartment of Exercise Physiology and Corrective Exercises, Urmia University, Urmia, Iran

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Mohammadreza RezaieKinesiology Department, Bu Ali Sina University, Hamedan, Iran

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Paul AllardSchool of Kinesiology, University of Montreal, Montreal, QC, Canada

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DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1123/jab.2022-0047
Keywords:
unilateral muscle activity; electromyography; exercises
First Published Online:
17 Jan 2023
In Print:
Volume 39: Issue 1
Page Range:
54–61
Restricted access

Left–right differential erector spinae (ES) muscle strengthening is required to correct ES muscle imbalances. The objective was to test the effect of 6 body positions on the differential activation of the ES muscles. In 14 able-bodied young women, using a surface electromyography system, the bilateral ES muscles activity at the third lumbar (ESL3) and the 10th (EST10) and 6th (EST6) thoracic vertebral levels was measured with the contralateral arm and leg lifted in the prone and quadruped conditions and with a single arm lifted in the quadruped position. Results showed that the activity of the ESL3 was symmetrical (P > .05) and significantly smaller than that of the thoracic ES muscles in all body positions (P < .01). The EST10 and EST6 were differentially activated in all tests (P < .001). Besides, the differential activation was higher in the contralateral-arm and -leg lift in the quadruped position than in the other positions. In conclusion, contralateral-arm and -leg lift and single-arm lift in the quadruped and prone positions are capable of differentially activating the ES muscles on one side more than the other side. Further studies are recommended to examine the effectiveness of these exercises on the correction of ES muscle imbalances in clinical populations.

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