Electromyographic activation levels of gluteus maximus, hamstrings and quadriceps in squat and hip thrust exercises: a systematic review

Abstract

This systematic review aimed to compare the activation levels of hip and knee extensors between the squat exercises and their variations and the hip thrust exercise (HT). To this end, articles published with a time window starting in November 2022 were collected from the electronic databases PubMed, Scopus and Web of Science. The following selection criteria were adopted: cross-sectional or longitudinal study (experimental or cohort); studies that evaluated the neuromuscular activation during the squat and HT exercises or their variations; studies that included healthy, injury-free participants; studies that analyzed the amplitude of electromyographic signals. In total, 4 articles met the study criteria. The following results were found: a) The HT provided greater activation of the hip extensors; b) The squat and its variations increased muscle activation in the vastus lateralis; c) The results are inconclusive for activation of the biceps femoris. The study presented some limitations, such as the low number of articles found, small sample size, lack of studies with a more complete analysis by EMG between the muscle groups of the lower limbs, and lack of chronic records related to muscle hypertrophy and neuromuscular activity.