Tous, J. Entrenamiento de la Musculatura Abdominal. Tesis Doctoral. Universidad de Barcelona, 2001.
Abstract and Figures
En esta tesis, se pretende, por un lado, establecer el estado de la cuestión
y las posibles lineas de investigación a realizar en el futuro mediante
la revisión critica de los estudios y aspectos más relevantes relacionados
con el entrenamiento de la musculatura abdominal. Para ello se analiza
la anatomía funcional de dicha musculatura, la diferenciación funcional
neuromuscular, los ejercicios abdominales y su prescripción en distintas
poblaciones, la teoria y metodologia del entrenamiento abdominal, los test
de valoración funcional abdominal y la electromiografia como tecnica de
investigación.
Por otro lado, se incluyen, en una parte empirica, tres estudios sobre
el tema. En primer lugar, se valora la hipótesis de la existencia de una
diferenciación funcional en el músculo recto abdominal en sujetos experimentados.
Para ello se emplea, por primera vez en nuestro pais, la tecnologia MuscleLab.
Seguidamente, se comparan dos métodos de entrenamiento abdominal a corto
plazo, con el objeto de observar si produce mejoras en la fuerza y resistencia
abdominal en tan sólo dos semanas. Finalmente, se valora la hipótesis de
si la secuencia de ejecución de ejercicios "inferior-oblicuo-superior"
es más eficaz que la contraria a la hora de aumentar la fuerza y resistencia
abdominal.
Se concluye, en el primer estudio, que el músculo recto abdominal presenta
una diferenciación funcional en al menos dos de sus porciones. Las velocidades
de ejecución en los ejercicios cercanas a las habitualmente seguidas por
cada sujeto facilitan la consecución de dicha diferenciación. El enrollamiento
de tórax incide de manera preferente sobre las porciones mas craneales
del recto abdominal, mientras que el enrollamiento de pelvis lo hace sobre
las porciones má caudales aunque de forma menos evidente.
En el segundo estudio se concluye que los programas de entrenamiento empleados
parecen ser eficaces para desarrollar la fuerza y resistencia abdominal en un periodo de tan solo dos semanas.
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Electrophysiological evidence suggests that the human biceps brachii muscle is organized into functional neuromuscular compartments. The purpose of this study was to determine whether there was an anatomical basis for these compartments. Dissection of the biceps revealed both architectural and nerve branching pattern compartmentalization within the muscle. Although the biceps brachii is grossly subdivided into long and short heads, these heads are further subdivided into roughly parallel architectural compartments. Moreover, these architectural compartments usually receive a private nerve branch, thus supporting the notion that the human biceps brachii has neuromuscular compartments.
This review of the scientific literature on isokinetic and isoinertial testing of dynamic trunk strength related to low back pain using "iso-machines" identified 108 items published in the past decade. There was inadequate scientific evidence to support the use of iso-machines in preemployment screening, routine clinical assessment or medico-legal evaluation.
Using dynamic surface electrode electromyography, we evaluated muscle activity in 13 male professional golfers during the golf swing. Surface electrodes were used to record the level of muscle activity in the right abdominal oblique, left abdominal oblique, right gluteus maximus, left gluteus maximus, right erector spinae, left erector spinae, upper rectus abdominis, and lower rectus abdominis muscles during the golfer's swing. These signals were synchronized electronically with photographic images of the various phases of the golf swing; the images were recorded in slow motion through motion picture photography. The golf swing was divided into five phases: take away, forward swing, acceleration, early follow-through, and late follow-through. Despite individual differences among the subjects' swings, we observed reproducible patterns of trunk muscle activity throughout all phases of the golf swing. Our findings demonstrate the importance of the trunk muscles in stabilizing and controlling the loading response for maximal power and accuracy in the golfer's swing. This study provides a basis for developing a rehabilitation program for golfers that stresses strengthening of the trunk muscles and coordination exercises.
Many commercially available pieces of abdominal exercise equipment have been introduced to facilitate endurance training of the abdominal musculature. One of the latest devices is the Abshaper. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there is any difference between abdominal exercises performed while using the Abshaper compared with those performed conventionally.
Using surface electromyography (EMG), the upper and lower regions of rectus abdominis (RA), the external oblique (EO), and sternocleidomastoid (SCM) muscles of 22 first-year physical therapy students were assessed. Each participant performed five straight trunk curls and five side trunk curls both with the Abshaper and conventionally. To test for differences in relative peak and mean EMG activity between the two modes of exercise execution, paired t-tests (alpha = 0.05) were performed. Differences in the average time percentile at which peak EMG activity occurred were assessed by repeated measures ANOVA (alpha = 0.05).
Exercises performed while using the Abshaper resulted in significantly greater relative peak and mean EMG activity within the upper portion of RA. For both the lower portion of RA and the EO muscles, no differences were found between the two modes of exercise execution. For SCM, Abshaper exercises resulted in significantly lower relative peak and mean EMG activity. In respect to the timing of peak EMG activity, no difference was found between the two modes of exercise execution for either the upper portion of RA, the EO, or SCM muscles. For lower RA, peak EMG activity occurred significantly earlier during conventional abdominal exercises in comparison with those performed while using the Abshaper.
The Abshaper has a role in exercising the abdominal musculature.
The purpose of this work was to study the bilateral activity of trunk flexor and extensor muscles in post-stroke hemiparetic patients.
Criterion variables were degree of temporal synchronization and level of electromyographic activity in pertinent muscle pairs during two symmetrical tasks: (1) from reclined sitting, bringing the trunk forward; (2) during upright sitting, shrugging shoulders, and extending back. The recti abdomini and external oblique muscles were tested as prime movers of the first task, and the lumbar erector spinae and latissimus dorsi muscles were tested in the second task. Electromyographic recordings from these muscles during three repetitions of each exercise were used for analysis.
Cross-correlation analysis pointed to higher temporal synchronization between the abdominal muscles than between the back extensor muscles and in axial compared with para-axial muscles. Differences between patients and controls were found only for the erector spinae muscle pair, which indicates less synchronous activity between the two sides in the patients. The average electromyographic activity level was comparable for corresponding abdominal muscles, both in the patients and in the control subjects. Regarding the back extensor, side differences were detected for the latissimus dorsi muscles in both groups, with the paretic and right side less active in the patients and controls, respectively.
Altogether, the findings do not support the claim of unilateral deficits in the function of trunk muscles in post-stroke hemiparetic patients. They emphasize the need for further characterization of the impairment of trunk extensor and flexor muscles in post-stroke patients.