J Korean Phys Ther.  2020 Aug;32(4):210-216. 10.18857/jkpt.2020.32.4.210.

The Effects of Curl-up Exercise with XCO on Trunk Muscle Activation in Healthy Adults

• Lim JH
• Cho WS

• KMID: 2520071
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.18857/jkpt.2020.32.4.210

Abstract

Purpose
This study examined the effects of curl-up using XCO^® on trunk muscle activation in healthy adults.
Methods
This study design was a single-blind randomized controlled trial. Twelve participants were enrolled in this study. The subjects were instructed to perform curl-up exercise in STCU (straight curl-up), LTCU (left twist curl-up), RTCU (right twist curl-up), TWCU (twist curl-up), and PPCU (power push curl-up). Electromyography was used to assess the percent maximal voluntary isometric contraction (%MVIC) of the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), internal oblique (IO), and erector spinae (ES) muscles. The data were analyzed using two-way ANOVA with a repeated measure. The statistical significance level was set to α=0.05
Results
The IO showed significant differences in the main effect of the group and the interactions between the group and exercise (p<0.05). In particular, the IO represented the interactions between group and exercise in the RTCU and PPCU (p<0.05). The RA, EO, and ES did not show significant interactions between the group and exercise (p>0.05). The RA, IO, and EO showed significant differences in the main effect of the group (p<0.05). The EO showed a significant difference in the main effect of exercise (p<0.05).
Conclusion
These findings suggest that XCO^® can be used to increase the muscle activation of the internal oblique, which is the lumbar stabilizing muscle, when XCO^® is combined in the curl-up exercise with rotation. In the future, research on the intensity, frequency, and duration of XCO^® exercise will be needed according to the individual characteristics and preferences.

Keyword

Trunk; Vibration; Electromyography