Magnitudes of gluteus medius muscle activation during standing hip joint movements in spiral-diagonal patterns using elastic tubing resistance.

The aim of this study was to simultaneously quantify electromyographic (EMG) activation levels (% maximum voluntary isometric contraction [MVIC]) within the gluteus medius muscles on both moving and stance limbs across the performance of four proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation (PNF) spiral-diagonal patterns in standing using resistance provided by elastic tubing. Differential EMG activity was recorded from the gluteus medius muscle of 26 healthy participants. EMG signals were collected with surface electrodes at a sampling frequency of 1000 Hz during three consecutive repetitions of each spiral-diagonal movement pattern. Significant differences existed among the four-spiral-diagonal movement patterns (F3,75 = 19.8; p < 0.001). The diagonal two flexion [D2F] pattern produced significantly more gluteus medius muscle recruitment (50 SD 29.3% MVIC) than any of the other three patterns and the diagonal one extension [D1E] (39 SD 37% MVIC) and diagonal two extension [D2E] (35 SD 29% MVIC) patterns generated more gluteus medius muscle recruitment than diagonal one flexion [D1F] (22 SD 21% MVIC). From a clinical efficiency standpoint, a fitness professional using the spiral-diagonal movement pattern of D2F and elastic tubing with an average peak tension of about 9% body mass may be able to concurrently strengthen the gluteus medius muscle on both stance and moving lower limbs.