Gluteal muscle activation during the isometric phase of squatting exercises with and without a Swiss ball.

OBJECTIVES

Growing evidence supports hip muscle activation and strengthening exercise prescription to prevent and treat various lower limb injuries. Common prescriptions include single-legged and double-legged squatting, with and without a Swiss ball. We aimed to establish the effect of varying forms of squatting exercises on gluteal muscle activation.

DESIGN AND SETTING

Observational laboratory study.

PARTICIPANTS

Nineteen (11 male) healthy participants (28.4 +/- 2.7 years old) were compared using one-way repeated measures analysis of variance.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Surface electromyography (EMG) measures of gluteus medius (GMed) and gluteus maximus (GMax) during the isometric phase of single-legged and double-legged squatting, with and without a Swiss ball.

RESULTS

A greater percentage of maximal voluntary contraction (%MVC) during single-legged squatting was found compared to double-legged squatting for GMed (42 versus 9%MVC, p < 0.001) and GMax (35 versus 14%MVC, p < 0.001). Additionally, the Swiss ball increased GMax activity (42 versus 35%MVC, p = 0.026) and demonstrated a trend toward increased GMed activity (46 versus 42%MVC, p = 0.075) during the single-legged squat.

CONCLUSIONS

These results indicate single-legged squatting may be more appropriate than double-legged squatting to facilitate strength gains of GMed and GMax. Additionally, the Swiss ball may be a useful adjunct to target gluteal muscle strengthening during single-legged squatting.