Relationship between the muscle recruitment pattern during prone hip extension and pelvic-hip motion during gait

Abstract

[Purpose] The aim of the present study was to examine whether the onset time of hip and trunk muscle activity during prone hip extension is related to hip and pelvic motion during gait. [Subjects and Methods] Twentynine healthy subjects participated in this study. Surface electromyography of the erector spinae, lumbar multifidus, gluteus maximus, and semitendinosus activities during prone hip extension were recorded. In addition, the hip and pelvic angles at the time of terminal stance during gait were measured. The correlations between the onset time of hip and trunk muscle activities during prone hip extension and the hip and pelvic angles at the time of terminal stance during gait were analyzed. [Results] A negative correlation was found between the onset of bilateral multifidus and contralateral erector spinae activities during prone hip extension and the hip joint angle at the time of terminal stance during gait. [Conclusion] The results show that later onset of bilateral multifidus and contralateral erector spinae activities during prone hip extension resulted in a smaller hip joint angle at the time of terminal stance during gait.