Article

Abdominal strengthening exercises are important for stroke patients;
however, there is a lack of research on therapeutic exercises for increasing
abdominal muscle activity in stroke patients. We investigated the
effects of non-paretic arm exercises using a tubing band on abdominal muscle
activity in stroke patients. METHODS: In total, 18 hemiplegic subjects (13 males,
5 females) were recruited. All subjects performed non-paretic arm exercises
involving three different shoulder movements (extension, flexion, and horizontal
abduction) using an elastic tubing band. Surface electromyography (EMG) signals
were recorded from the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal
oblique (IO) muscles bilaterally during non-paretic arm exercises. RESULTS: EMG
activities of abdominal muscles during non-paretic arm extension and horizontal
abduction were increased significantly versus shoulder flexion when subjects
performed the arm exercise in a seated position. Muscle activity of the EO was
significantly greater in the paretic than the non-paretic side during non-paretic
arm extension and horizontal abduction. CONCLUSIONS: We suggest that non-paretic
arm extension and horizontal abduction exercises using an elastic tubing band may
be effective in increasing abdominal muscle activity.

Langue : ANGLAIS