Lower limb and trunk muscles activity when exercising in water

Abstract

Exercise in a water environment is growing in popularity for a wide range of health, rehabilitation applications. The characteristics of the water environment have been found to create different muscle activation patterns when comparing the land, water based activities of walking, running, knee extension exercises. The aim of this research was to extend this knowledge by comparing other exercise routines, specifically: forward walking, backward walking, jogging, deep-water running, right-side walking, forward walking with long-step, forward walking with kicking, forward walking with knee-up, forward walking with trunk twisting, forward walking with elbow-knee touching, forward walking with knee side-up, backward walking with knee side-up. Ten male adults (age: 27.4 ± 5.9 yr) conducted 20 sec of self-selected comfortable pace exercise for the 12 different forms listed. During each exercise, lower limb, trunk muscles activity of right side Tibialis Anterior, Soleus, Medial Gastrocnemius, Rectus Femoris, Vastus Lateralis, Biceps Femoris, Adductor Longus, Gluteus Medialis, Gluteus Maximus, Rectus Abdomen, Oblique Externus Abdominis, Erector Spine were measured by surface electrodes, sampled at 1,000 Hz. A band-pass filter with 10–500 Hz was applied to the collected data, the root mean square value was calculated for one step cycle, namely right side foot contact to the next right side foot contact. This was averaged across all subjects. The results showed that each form of exercise has its own unique muscle activation pattern. Jogging used lower limb muscles more than the other forms of exercise, deep-water running used the thigh, trunk muscles. Forward walking with kicking, trunk twisting, elbow-knee touching used not only lower limb muscles, but also the trunk muscles, more than the other forms of exercise. The muscle activity of Vastus Lateralis was lower in the forward walking than the all other forms. In comparing each different form of exercise the backward, right-side, the forward walking with knee-up were identified as the lowest intensity form for the lower limb, compared to the other forms. This study identified the different muscle activity activation patterns of lower, trunk muscles with respect to 12 different water based exercises. This new knowledge can guide the exercise prescription protocols for more effective water based exercise routines.