The effects of the warm-up exercise method on lower extremity muscle activity during vertical Jumps

Abstract

Background/Objectives: To analyze the effect of warming up exercise methods by analyzing the impact of stretching exercises and treadmill walking on lower extremity muscle activity. Methods/Statistical analysis: The subjects were twelve young healthy adults. They performed four methods of warm-up exercises for ten minutes each week, once a week for four weeks: non-exercises, treadmill walking, stretching exercises, and both treadmill walking and stretching exercises. An EMG measured the muscle activity of the rectus femoris and medial gastrocnemius. The one-way ANOVA was used to compare the difference in muscle activity between the four warm-up exercise methods. Findings: No interaction effect was shown regarding muscle activities. There was no notable change in activity within the muscle based on the different warm-up methods. Muscle activity between the pre- and post- test also failed to display a difference worthy of note. Improvements/Applications: The short period of time allocated for warm-up exercises may not have been adequate to affect the muscle activities of the lower extremities. A longer program may be needed to study changes in muscle activity within the clinical area.