Gender specific activation patterns of trunk muscles during whole body tilt

Abstract

Gender specific differences as evidenced in both anthropometric data and physical performance of healthy persons have been broadly demonstrated. Recently advancements in surface electromyography (SEMG) have shown possible differences in men's and women's muscle coordination patterns. However, quantitative information about gender related muscle co-ordination patterns are rare. This investigation was carried out to both verify if trunk muscle SEMG amplitude-force relationship differs between men and women and refine techniques of measurement and data analysis using SEMG. Thirty-one healthy volunteers (16 women, 15 men) were investigated during whole body tilt at angles from 5 degrees to 90 degrees (from quasi vertical to horizontal position). Subjects had to maintain body in body axis while their lower body was fixed and the upper body remained unsupported. SEMG was taken from five different trunk muscles of both sides simultaneously. At corresponding tilt angles women exhibited higher amplitude levels of their abdominal muscles in comparison to men, who were characterized by higher back muscle amplitudes. Abdominal muscles showed a non-linear SEMG amplitude-force relationship but differed between genders with more linearity in women. Back muscles showed a linear amplitude-force relationship with no differences between genders. Women were characterized by higher levels of co-contraction of all investigated muscles. The data are in accordance with histological investigations, which already proved specific fiber distribution patterns in both abdominal and back muscles and gender related differences in relative area of Type 1 fibers of back muscles. The observed differences in SEMG-force relationship for the abdominal muscles remain hypothetical because of lack of histological information.