Acute Effect of a Gluteal Activation Warm-up on Hip Muscle Activity and Kinematics During a Single Leg Squat

Summary

Gluteal activation warm-up is one of the modalities being investigated recently. Although widely used in clinical and sports practice, it is unclear whether, in fact, performing gluteal activation exercises in warm-up is effective in increasing electromyographic activation (EMG), as well as the mechanisms that explain eventual gluteal activation improvement of neuromuscular function. Thus, the aim of this study is to verify the acute effect of a gluteal activation warm-up protocol on gluteus maximus (superior fibers) and gluteus medius EMG activation and kinematics during single leg squat. The hypotheses of this study are that after a gluteal activation warm-up program, there will be an increase in the muscle recruitment (mean) levels of the gluteus maximus (superior fibers) and gluteus medium. About kinematics, the hypotheses is that a decrease on hip adduction absolute angle and hip and knee frontal plane ROM on maximum knee flexion during single leg squat will occur. Physically active adults from 18 to 35 years old, with no history of previous injury or surgery on the lower limbs, who present excessive hip adduction during single-leg squat on the dominant limb in previous evaluation via visual scoring scale will participate in this study. The design adopted will be performed in the following order: (1) Preparation and familiarization. (2) Intervention protocol (standard warm-up protocol or the gluteal activation warm-up protocol), (4) immediately after the intervention protocol, the subjects will perform 3 single-leg squats and (5) EMG and MIVC strength test. The standard warm-up consist 5 minutes on a stationary bike and 30 seconds calf, hamstrings and quadriceps stretch. The gluteal activation warm-up protocol consists of performing the standard warm-up protocol and 3 sets of 12 repetitions clam exercise, using a elastic band (Perform Better®, USA). Exertion perception will be controlled using an exertion perception scale (OMNI). From kinematic and EMG data, absolute values of the hip adduction, hip and knee ROM in the frontal plane of the dominant limb and mean EMG activation data from the gluteus maximus (superior fibers) and gluteus medius muscles we will extracted, respectively. All data will be analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics. (p \<0.05).

Conditions

• Hip Adduction
• Gluteus EMG Activity

Interventions

OTHER

Standard warm-up protocol

Stationary cycling and lower limb stretching exercises

OTHER

Gluteal activation warm-up protocol

Standard warm-up protocol + Clam exercise (3 sets of 12 repetitions each)

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University of the State of Santa Catarina

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• CAROLINE RUSCHEL, PE PhD · University of the State of Santa Catarina

• MARCELO P CASTRO, PT PhD · Neuromusculoskeletal Rehab. and Clinical Biomechanics Laboratory - LaBClin

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

DOUBLE

Model

CROSSOVER

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

35 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2020-03-01

Primary Completion

2020-12-01

Completion

2020-12-01

Countries

• Brazil

Study Locations