The effect of double versus single oscillating exercise devices on trunk and limb muscle activation

Abstract

Purpose/background: Proper strengthening of the core and upper extremities is important for muscular health, performance, and rehabilitation. Exercise devices have been developed that attempt to disrupt the center of gravity in order to activate the trunk stabilizing muscles. The objective of this study was to analyze the trunk and shoulder girdle muscle activation with double and single oscillating exercise devices (DOD and SOD respectively) in various planes.

Methods: TWELVE MALE SUBJECTS PERFORMED THREE INTERVENTIONS USING BOTH DEVICES UNDER RANDOMIZED CONDITIONS: single-handed vertical orientation of DOD and SOD to produce 1) medio-lateral oscillation in the frontal plane 2) dorso-ventral oscillation in the sagittal plane and 3) single-handed horizontal orientation for superior and inferior oscillation in the transverse plane. Electromyographic (EMG) activity during the interventions of the anterior deltoid, triceps brachii, biceps brachii, forearm flexors as well as lower abdominal and back stabilizer muscles was collected, and were normalized to maximal voluntary contractions. A two way repeated measures ANOVA (2x3) was conducted to assess the influence of the devices and movement planes on muscle activation.

Results: The DOD provided 35.9%, 40.8%, and 52.3% greater anterior deltoid, transverse abdominus (TA)/internal oblique (IO) and lumbo-sacral erector spinae (LSES) activation than did the SOD respectively. Effect size calculations revealed that these differences were of moderate to large magnitude (0.86, 0.48, and 0.61 respectively). There were no significant differences in muscular activation achieved between devices for the triceps brachii, biceps brachii and forearm flexor muscles. Exercise in the transverse plane resulted in 30.5%, 29.5%, and 19.5% greater activation than the sagittal and 21.8%, 17.2%, and 26.3% greater activation than the frontal plane for the anterior deltoid, TA/IO and LSES respectively.

Conclusions: A DOD demonstrated greater muscular activity for trunk and shoulder muscle activation but does not provide an advantage for limb activation. Overall, oscillating the devices in the transverse plane provided greater muscular activation of the anterior deltoid, TA/IO and LSES than use of the devices during frontal or sagittal plane movements.

Level of evidence: 2c: Outcomes research.

Keywords: Bodyblade®; Core musculature; Flexbar®; Shoulder girdle musculature; Trunk musculature.

Figure 1.

Subjects performing the maximum voluntary contraction testing for (A) Anterior deltoid, (B) Triceps brachii, (C) Biceps brachii (D) Forearm flexor muscle group (E) Transversus abdominis / Internal oblique and (F) Lumbo-sacral erector spinae.

Figure 2.

Subjects using double (1A-C) a oscillating device (DOD) in the A) frontal plane (devices medio-lateral oscillation) B) sagittal plane (dorso-ventral oscillation) and C) in the transverse plane (superior and inferior oscillation).

Figure 3.

Subjects using a single (2A-C) oscillating device (SOD) in the A) frontal plane (devices medio-lateral oscillation) B) sagittal plane (dorso-ventral oscillation) and C) in the transverse plane (superior and inferior oscillation).

Figure 4.

Activation of forearm flexor muscle group with respect to planes and devices. A significant (p = 0.0054) interaction was found between the planes and the devices. The transverse plane provided significantly greater forearm flexor muscle group activation with double oscillating device than the sagittal plane (p = 0.005). Asterisk (*) represents statistical significance of p < 0.05. Squares with full lines represent double oscillating devices (DOD) whereas circles with intermittent lines represent single oscillating devices.

Figure 5.

Activation of triceps brachii with respect to planes and devices. A significant (p = 0.004) interaction was found between the planes and the devices. The frontal plane provided significantly greater triceps brachii activation for the double oscillating device than the sagittal plane (p = 0.004). Asterisk (*) represents statistical significance of p < 0.05. Squares with full lines represent double oscillating devices (DOD) whereas circles with intermittent lines represent single oscillating devices.

Figure 6.

Graph showing the activation of anterior deltoid with respect to planes and devices. There was a trend (p = 0.07) towards an interaction between the planes and the devices. Squares with full lines represent double oscillating devices (DOD) whereas circles with intermittent lines represent single oscillating devices.

Figure 7.

Graph representing the individual amount of muscle activation with respect to devices (both DOD and SOD). AD=anterior deltoid, FFMG=forearm flexor muscle group, TA/IO=ransversus abdominis/ internal oblique, LSES=lumbo-sacral erector spinae. Asterisks (*) indicate that significantly (p < 0.05) greater activation occurred with the DOD than with the SOD for the respective muscles. Squares with full lines represent double oscillating devices (DOD) whereas circles with intermittent lines represent single oscillating devices.