Clinical Scenario The gluteal muscles consist of the gluteus maximus (GM), gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus. The GM is the largest and most superficial muscle in the area, primarily acting as a powerful hip extensor. 1 In addition to hip extension, the GM contributes to core stability, postural
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Optimal Patient Position to Maximize Gluteus Maximus Activation During Prone Hip Extension: A Critically Appraised Topic
Justin Goins
A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis Electromyographic Activity in the Back Squat and Barbell Hip Thrust Exercises
Bret Contreras, Andrew D. Vigotsky, Brad J. Schoenfeld, Chris Beardsley, and John Cronin
The back squat and barbell hip thrust are both popular exercises used to target the lower body musculature; however, these exercises have yet to be compared. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the surface electromyographic (EMG) activity of the upper and lower gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, and vastus lateralis between the back squat and barbell hip thrust. Thirteen trained women (n = 13; age = 28.9 years; height = 164 cm; mass = 58.2 kg) performed estimated 10-repetition maximums (RM) in the back squat and barbell hip thrust. The barbell hip thrust elicited significantly greater mean (69.5% vs 29.4%) and peak (172% vs 84.9%) upper gluteus maximus, mean (86.8% vs 45.4%) and peak (216% vs 130%) lower gluteus maximus, and mean (40.8% vs 14.9%) and peak (86.9% vs 37.5%) biceps femoris EMG activity than the back squat. There were no significant differences in mean (99.5% vs 110%) or peak (216% vs 244%) vastus lateralis EMG activity. The barbell hip thrust activates the gluteus maximus and biceps femoris to a greater degree than the back squat when using estimated 10RM loads. Longitudinal training studies are needed to determine if this enhanced activation correlates with increased strength, hypertrophy, and performance.
Effect of Bridge Exercise Duration on Lateral Abdominal Muscle Thickness and Gluteus Maximus Activation
Eleftherios Kellis, Athanasios Konstantopoulos, and Athanasios Ellinoudis
typical double-leg bridge exercise, EMG activation (normalized as a percentage of maximum voluntary contraction [MVC] or manual muscle tests) ranges from 15% to 25% for gluteus maximus (GM), 1 – 5 20% to 25% for gluteus medius, 2 3% to 28% for the internal (IO) and external (EO) oblique, 1 , 2 , 12 – 14
Do Verbal and Tactile Cueing Selectively Alter Gluteus Maximus and Hamstring Recruitment During a Supine Bridging Exercise in Active Females? A Randomized Controlled Trial
John H. Hollman, Tyler A. Berling, Ellen O. Crum, Kelsie M. Miller, Brent T. Simmons, and James W. Youdas
leading to anterior hip pain. 6 – 8 Sahrmann 9 proposed that when gluteus maximus strength is impaired, or when hamstring muscle recruitment is dominant during hip extension, anterior femoracetabular forces increase because the proximal femur translates anteriorly rather than maintaining a centralized
Coupled Gluteus Maximus and Gluteus Medius Recruitment Patterns Modulate Hip Adduction Variability During Single-Limb Step-Downs: A Cross-Sectional Study
John H. Hollman, Nicholas J. Beise, Michelle L. Fischer, and Taylor L. Stecklein
muscles may contribute to movement coordination deficits associated with lower-extremity injuries. As examples, gluteus maximus recruitment correlates inversely with knee valgus during single-limb step-downs 15 and partially modulates transverse-plane hip and frontal-plane knee kinematics during a jump
Effects of Gluteus Maximus Muscle Activity and Pelvic Width on Dynamic Frontal Plane Hip Joint Stiffness During Gait in Healthy Young Women
Shogo Takano, Yoshitaka Iwamoto, Norifumi Fujii, Rei Konishi, Junya Ozawa, and Nobuhiro Kito
healthy young women. We hypothesized that less muscle activity in the gluteus medius and gluteus maximus and greater PW/FL would result in lower dynamic frontal plane hip joint stiffness during the gait of healthy young women. Methods Participants This study included 30 healthy women between the ages of
Muscle Activation Levels of the Gluteus Maximus and Medius During Standing Hip-Joint-Strengthening Exercises Using Elastic-Tubing Resistance
James W. Youdas, Kady E. Adams, John E. Bertucci, Koel J. Brooks, Meghan M. Nelson, and John H. Hollman
Context:
No published studies have compared muscle activation levels simultaneously for the gluteus maximus and medius muscles of stance and moving limbs during standing hip-joint strengthening while using elastic-tubing resistance.
Objective:
To quantify activation levels bilaterally of the gluteus maximus and medius during resisted lower-extremity standing exercises using elastic tubing for the cross-over, reverse cross-over, front-pull, and back-pull exercise conditions.
Design:
Repeated measures.
Setting:
Laboratory.
Participants:
26 active and healthy people, 13 men (25 ± 3 y) and 13 women (24 ± 1 y).
Intervention:
Subjects completed 3 consecutive repetitions of lower-extremity exercises in random order.
Main Outcome Measures:
Surface electromyographic (EMG) signals were normalized to peak activity in the maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) trial and expressed as a percentage. Magnitudes of EMG recruitment were analyzed with a 2 × 4 repeated-measures ANOVA for each muscle (α = .05).
Results:
For the gluteus maximus an interaction between exercise and limb factor was significant (F 3,75 = 21.5; P < .001). The moving-limb gluteus maximus was activated more than the stance limb's during the back-pull exercise (P < .001), and moving-limb gluteus maximus muscle recruitment was greater for the back-pull exercise than for the cross-over, reverse cross-over, and front-pull exercises (P < .001). For the gluteus medius an interaction between exercise and limb factor was significant (F 3,75 = 3.7; P < .03). Gluteus medius muscle recruitment (% MVIC) was greater in the stance limb than moving limb when performing the front-pull exercise (P < .001). Moving-limb gluteus medius muscle recruitment was greater for the reverse cross-over exercise than for the cross-over, front-pull, and back-pull exercises (P < .001).
Conclusions:
From a clinical standpoint there is no therapeutic benefit to selectively activate the gluteus maximus and gluteus medius muscles on the stance limb by resisting sagittal- and frontal-plane hip movements on the moving limb using resistance supplied by elastic tubing.
Modulation of Frontal-Plane Knee Kinematics by Hip-Extensor Strength and Gluteus Maximus Recruitment During a Jump-Landing Task in Healthy Women
John H. Hollman, Jeffrey M. Hohl, Jordan L. Kraft, Jeffrey D. Strauss, and Katie J. Traver
Context:
Abnormal lower extremity kinematics during dynamic activities may be influenced by impaired gluteus maximus function.
Objective:
To examine whether hip-extensor strength and gluteus maximus recruitment are associated with dynamic frontal-plane knee motion during a jump-landing task.
Design:
Exploratory study.
Setting:
Biomechanics laboratory.
Participants:
40 healthy female volunteers.
Main Outcome Measures:
Isometric hip-extension strength was measured bilaterally with a handheld dynamometer. Three-dimensional hip and knee kinematics and gluteus maximus electromyography data were collected bilaterally during a jumplanding test. Data were analyzed with hierarchical linear regression and partial correlation coefficients (α = .05).
Results:
Hip motion in the transverse plane was highly correlated with knee motion in the frontal plane (partial r = .724). After controlling for hip motion, reduced magnitudes of isometric hip-extensor strength (partial r = .470) and peak gluteus maximus recruitment (partial r = .277) were correlated with increased magnitudes of knee valgus during the jump-landing task.
Conclusion:
Hip-extensor strength and gluteus maximus recruitment, which represents a measure of the muscle’s neuromuscular control, are both associated with frontal-plane knee motions during a dynamic weight-bearing task.
A Comparison of Gluteus Maximus, Biceps Femoris, and Vastus Lateralis Electromyography Amplitude for the Barbell, Band, and American Hip Thrust Variations
Bret Contreras, Andrew D. Vigotsky, Brad J. Schoenfeld, Chris Beardsley, and John Cronin
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.
Measuring Muscle Activity in Sprinters Using T2-Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging
Takaya Yoshimoto, Yoshihiro Chiba, Hayato Ohnuma, Takuya Yanaka, and Norihide Sugisaki
found out that the EMG activity of the gluteus maximus peaks in the first half of the support phase, 6 while that of the rectus femoris was observed from the first half of the swing phase. 7 In addition, it has been clarified that the muscle activity levels of the biceps femoris and semitendinosus
