Activation of lumbar paraspinal and abdominal muscles during therapeutic exercises in chronic low back pain patients1 Jari P Arokoski, DMSc, Taru Valta, PT, Markku Kankaanpää, DMSc, Olavi Airaksinen, DMSc Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Volume 85, Issue 5, Pages 823-832 (May 2004) DOI: 10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.013
Fig 1 Bipolar surface electromyographic electrode arrangement (A) over the paraspinal muscles at L5-S1 level and (B) over the rectus abdominis and externus abdominis muscles. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2004 85, 823-832DOI: (10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.013)
Fig 2 Mean ± standard deviation (SD) average normalized electromyographic amplitude (%EMGmax) (right and left side combined) (n=9) at the beginning and after 3-month period of follow-up exercises at the L5 level of erector spinae muscles and at the rectus abdominis (RA) and obliquus externus (OE) abdominis muscles during walking or leg swinging: (A) exercise 1: walking on a trampoline and (B) exercise 2: leg swinging while standing. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2004 85, 823-832DOI: (10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.013)
Fig 3 Mean ± SD average normalized electromyographic amplitude (%EMGmax) (right and left side combined) (n=9) at the beginning and after 3-month period of follow-up exercises at the L5 level of erector spinae muscles and at the rectus abdominis and obliquus externus abdominis muscles while sitting or standing: (A) exercise 6: backward and forward rocking in high sitting position; (B) exercise 5: weights in hands and altering shoulder flexion while sitting upright; (C) exercise 3: weights in hands and altering shoulder flexion while standing straight; and (D) exercise 4: weights in hands and altering shoulder flexion while standing straight on the balance board. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2004 85, 823-832DOI: (10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.013)
Fig 4 Mean ± SD average normalized electromyographic amplitude (%EMGmax) (right and left side combined) (n=9) at the beginning and after 3-month period of follow-up exercises at the L5 level of erector spinae muscles and at the rectus abdominis and obliquus externus abdominis muscles while standing: (A) exercise 8: resisted upper-extremity extension while standing; (B) exercise 9: resisted upper-extremity flexion while standing; and (C) exercise 10: resisted upper-extremity adduction while standing. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2004 85, 823-832DOI: (10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.013)
Fig 5 Mean ± SD average normalized electromyographic amplitude (%EMGmax) (right and left side combined) (n=9) at the beginning and after 3-month period of follow-up exercises at the L5 level of erector spinae muscles and at the rectus abdominis and obliquus externus abdominis muscles while prone or on the all-fours position: (A) exercise 7: unilateral leg extension while upper body prone on the board; and (B) exercise 11: contralateral arm and leg lift in the all-fours position. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2004 85, 823-832DOI: (10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.013)
Fig 6 Mean ± SD average normalized electromyographic amplitude (%EMGmax) (right and left side combined) (n=9) at the beginning and after 3-month period of follow-up exercises at the L5 level of erector spinae muscles and at the rectus abdominis and obliquus externus abdominis muscles while prone or supine or in the bridged position: (A) exercise 15: abdominal contraction while supine; (B) exercise 13: pushing bent knees against a soft ball in crook lying; (C) exercise 12: lifting hips up to the bridged position; and (D) exercise 14: unilateral knee extension while keeping hips in the bridged position. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2004 85, 823-832DOI: (10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.013)
Fig 7 Mean ± SD average normalized electromyographic amplitude (%EMGmax) (right and left side combined) (n=9) at the beginning and after 3-month period of follow-up exercises at the L5 level of erector spinae muscles and at the rectus abdominis and obliquus externus abdominis muscles while lying on 1 side or prone: (A) exercise 16: unilateral leg lift against resistance while lying on 1 side; (B) exercise 17: resisted bilateral leg extension while prone; and (C) exercise 18: bilateral leg extension while prone. Archives of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation 2004 85, 823-832DOI: (10.1016/j.apmr.2003.06.013)