EFFECTS OF CORE STABILIZATION EXERCISE ON MUSCLE ACTIVITY DURING HORIZONTAL SHOULDER ADDUCTION WITH LOADS IN HEALTHY ADULTS: A RANDOMIZED CONTROLLED STUDY

The importance of core stabilization exercises for extremities associated with dynamic spinal stabilization prior to movement has been demonstrated. However, no previous studies have investigated the muscle-coordinated e®ects on the upper trapezius (UT), anterior deltoid (AD), pectoralis major (PM), bilateral transverse abdominis (TrA), bilateral internal oblique (IO), and bilateral external oblique (EO) in healthy adults. The purpose of this study was to compare the e®ects of the dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS) breathing technique and the abdominal bracing (AB) technique on UT, AD, PM, bilateral IO/TrA, and bilateral EO motor control in healthy participants during horizontal shoulder adduction. Thirty-six participants, eight of whom were female, were randomized into an AB and a DNS group and performed horizontal shoulder adduction with loads (8 and 17 lb). The clinical outcomes were UT, AD, and PM muscle activation and TrA/IO and EO muscle activation. Paired t-tests were used to analyze electromyography (EMG) data to determine statistically signi¯cant di®erences in muscle activity between the two techniques. For the EMG analysis, the maximal voluntary isometric contraction was measured for normalization and then divided by the EMG amplitude value. The results showed that UT, AD, and PM muscle amplitudes were lower and TrA/IO and EO muscle amplitudes were higher with DNS than with AB ( P < 0 : 05 ). Our ¯ndings provide clinical evidence that core exercise with DNS is more e®ective in lessening UT, AD, and PM muscle activation and improving bilateral TrA/IO motor control than with AB.


Introduction
Various core stabilization exercises, such as dynamic neuromuscular stabilization (DNS), abdominal bracing (AB), and abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM), have been used to strengthen and stabilize the paraspinal muscles.3][4] Core muscles are key to utilizing all the power and mobility of the body and maintaining centralization while the body moves. 2,5Centralization is important because the proximal stability of the trunk is essential for controlling the functional movement of the distal parts. 6,7oreover, if the spine is not stabilized and repeatedly performs movements that place strain on the joints, musculoskeletal disease may develop. 8Excessive activation of the upper trapezius (UT) and pectoralis major (PM) causes an upper cross syndrome, weakening the lower trapezius and serratus anterior.0][11] Further, if the trapezius continues to be overactivated due to repetitive work, soreness may occur, resulting in tension-type headaches. 12Previous core stabilization studies have focused on the pre-activation of the abdominal wall muscles as a major factor. 3,5This strategy has been shown to increase spine sti®ness, thus reducing unwanted spinal °uctuations and minimizing the risk of injury while lifting objects. 13,14Co-activation of abdominal muscles, which is essential for dynamic motor control and sports performance, 15 functionally produces abdominal pressure and associated dynamic spinal stabilization prior to movement. 4,8trengthening the core muscles stabilizes the spine, leads to corrective electromyography (EMG) changes, 16 and can prevent musculoskeletal disease. 17The DNS breathing technique is a core exercise that can support limb movements with correct kinematics by giving the core muscles, which constitute the core of spinal alignment, a central role in the functional oblique chain.A previous study reported that DNS exercise provides greater improvement in trunk stability (2.4%) and balance (68.7%) than neurodevelopmental therapy in acute stroke patients. 18In another study, 15 patients with cerebral palsy showed gross motor function measure improvement (7.86%) after DNS exercise. 19A functional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) study showed that ADIM activates the cortical primary motor cortex-somatomotor cortex-supplementary motor area network, whereas DNS activates both these cortical areas and the subcortical cerebellum-basal ganglia-thalamus-cingulate cortex network. 20he DNS breathing technique provides dynamic stabilization of the spine by providing optimal intra-abdominal pressure (IAP), which is achieved by simultaneously adjusting the circular stabilization belt with the diaphragm and the internal oblique (IO), transverse abdominis (TrA), pelvic °oor, external oblique (EO), rectus abdominis, multi¯dus, and thoracic muscles. 21,22The technique optimizes the exercise system based on the scienti¯c principles of developmental kinesiology and is a core exercise designed to induce limb movement with correct kinematics, thus preventing damage during sports or tasks involving frequent lifting of heavy loads. 22owever, no previous studies have investigated the muscle-coordinated e®ects on the upper trapezius (UT), anterior deltoid (AD), pectoralis major (PM), bilateral transverse abdominis (TrA), bilateral internal oblique (IO), and bilateral external oblique (EO) in healthy adults.Therefore, the purpose of this study was to compare the e®ects of the DNS breathing technique and the AB technique on UT, anterior deltoid (AD), PM, bilateral IO/TrA, and bilateral EO motor control during horizontal shoulder adduction with loads in healthy participants.We hypothesized that DNS and AB would result in di®erent EMG amplitudes of the PM, AD, bilateral IO/TrA, and EO muscles.

Participants
A power analysis using G-Power software version 3.1.9.4 (Franz Faul, University of Kiel, Germany) was performed to determine the minimum sample size requirement.The results showed that a sample size of 33 participants was required to achieve a medium e®ect size of 2 ¼ 0:6, with a power of 1 À ¼ 0:8 and a level of 0.05 in the pilot study.
A convenience sample of 36 adults (8 females; mean age: 24:16 AE 3:63 years) was used in this study.The study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of University (IRB No. 1041849-201812-BM-120-01) and was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki.Informed consent was obtained from all participants prior to the study.Participants with (i) a known history of neurological or back surgery, (ii) rotator cu® tendinitis, (iii) hypertension or diabetes, and (iv) limited shoulder range of motion were excluded from the study.

Experimental procedures
This study employed a randomized, single-blinded experimental design.The participants were randomly assigned to a DNS and an AB group using the \Flip a coin" tool in Google Search.To minimize experimental biases related to participants' expectations, the participants were blinded to study information that may have in°uenced them until the completion of the experiment.A consistent experimental procedure was implemented using standardized tests, including muscle activity measurements.

Dynamic neuromuscular stabilization
A therapist initially introduced the core stabilization exercise steps to the participants as follows: (i) The therapist neutralized the participant's thorax and rib cage in the quadruped position, allowing the participant to breathe into the diaphragm naturally.(ii) The therapist maintained this alignment and asked the participant to inhale into the diaphragm and coactivate the TRA/IO.(iii) The participant was asked to correct the DNS movement surrounding the 10th-12th ribs, con¯rming that the cylinder barrel shape extended from the midline forward and laterally.3][24] During core stabilization training, EMG was used to provide accurate visual feedback on the target muscle activation and thickness of the TrA, IO, and EO.EMG data were collected using TeleMyo DTS (Noraxon Inc., Scottsdale, AZ, USA), bandpass-¯ltered (20-450 Hz) and notch-¯ltered (60 Hz) and analyzed using MyoResearch software (Noraxon Inc.).The sampling rate was 1000 Hz.

Abdominal bracing
Each participant was asked to contract all abdominal muscles without abdominal expansion and pelvic movement.In the training session, an examiner familiar with abdominal bracing visually checked the lumbar spine angle and the movement of the lower abdomen of the participants and corrected them if necessary.During the training task, the participants were asked to maximally co-contract their abdominal muscles without hollowing the lower abdomen or changing the upper body position. 13,25The contraction of the rectus abdominis and EO muscles was checked by palpation.IO muscle activation was examined to detect breath holding during AB.electrical conductance, each location was shaved using a gel and then cleaned with an alcohol wipe.An investigator prepared the electrode sites by shaving excessive hair o® the muscle belly and cleaning the skin using isopropyl alcohol with a sterile gauze pad to reduce the impedance of the EMG signal.Disposable Ag/AgCl surface electrodes were then ¯xed to the target sites.The electrodes were placed in pairs parallel to the muscular ¯bers.The TrA and IO electrodes were placed approximately 2 cm medially and inferiorly from the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS).For the EO, the electrodes were placed on the side of the abdominal at 2-cm intervals, at a slight angle between the crest and rib directly above the ASIS, halfway between the crest and the ribs at a slightly oblique angle.For the UT, the electrodes were placed on the ridge of the shoulder, with a slight transverse distance from the cervical spine at C7 and the acromion.For the AD, the electrodes were placed on the anterior aspect of the arm approximately 4 cm below the clavicle.For the PM, the electrodes were placed on the chest wall at an oblique angle to the clavicle approximately 2 cm below it. 26To normalize the data, the root mean square of a 5-s maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) for each muscle was calculated three times.While lying down, the participants horizontally adducted their shoulder to 90 degrees holding 8-and 17-lb weights to maintain core stabilization using DNS.All participants performed horizontal adduction three times, during which their EMG activity was measured.The muscle amplitude was compared between core stabilization and AB conditions using 8-and 17-lb weights.

Intervention
The DNS and AB core stabilization techniques were practiced 30 min per day, ¯ve times a week for two weeks.The same investigator performed the EMG activity tests during the intervention.For the AB technique, each participant was asked to lie in the supine position with one hand on the abdominal area and perform an inward abdominal movement during expiration and inspiration while horizontally adducting the other shoulder, holding a kettlebell for 5 s.For the DNS technique, each participant was asked to exhale and centralize on the thorax and rib cage in a caudal position.Subsequently, maintaining a neutral caudal alignment, the participant was asked to inhale to enable the diaphragm to descend and allow co-activation of the TrA and pelvic °oor muscles. 21,24,27while horizontally adducting the shoulder holding a kettlebell for 5 s.Real-time ultrasound (X8, Medison Co., Ltd., Republic of Korea) images were acquired to provide the participants with visual feedback (Fig. 1).

Statistical analysis
The data were expressed as means AE standard deviations.All continuous variables were analyzed using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test to test the assumption of normal distribution.An independent t-test was used to determine statistically signi¯cant di®erences in the EMG amplitudes of TrA/IO, EO, UT, AD, and PM contractions between AB and DNS.The level of statistical signi¯cance was set to ¼ 0:05.The statistical analysis was performed using IBM SPSS Statistics version 25.0 (IBM, Armonk, NY, USA) for Windows.

Results
Thirty-six participants who successfully performed AB and DNS stabilization were included in the analysis.Table 1 shows the gender, age, height, weight, and dominant side of the participants.The independent t-test showed that right EO and left IO/ TrA muscle activity was signi¯cantly higher during DNS than during AB, while AD and PM muscle activity was signi¯cantly lower during DNS than during AB (P < 0:05) (Table 2).Furthermore, bilateral IO/TrA muscle activity was signi¯cantly higher, and UT and PM muscle activity was signi¯cantly lower during DNS than during AB (P < 0:05) (Table 3).Conversely, bilateral EO muscle activity was signi¯cantly higher during AB than during DNS.These ¯ndings indicated high abdominal stabilization muscle activity and low activation of the muscles around the shoulder (PM and AD) during DNS.

Discussion
To our knowledge, this is ¯rst study to demonstrate the e®ects of DNS on the EMG amplitudes of the UT, AD, PM, bilateral IO/TrA, and bilateral EO muscles during horizontal shoulder adduction.As hypothesized, DNS promoted IO/TrA activation while reducing UT, AD, and PM activation.Because in a literature review we found only an EMG study comparing the e®ects of DNS exercise on muscle activation in the lower extremity and the cervical, thoracic, and lumbar spine, 24 it was not possible to compare our results to previous ¯ndings.However, our results support previous reports of signi¯cant di®erences in PM, UT, and AD activity between DNS and AB.The EMG analysis of muscle activation in shoulder adduction showed that the PM and UT were the least activated during DNS.Trunk stability analysis showed signi¯cantly higher left and right IO/TrA activation during DNS (16.6% and 19.3% of MVIC, respectively) than during AB (16.2% and 13.1% of MVIC, respectively).
Previous clinical evidence has shown that the UT and PM were overactive, whereas the AD and trunk muscles were underactive, which caused muscle imbalance and associated shoulder instability, resulting in limited °exion of the glenohumeral joints.However, the UT and PM muscles were under-activated due to AD and trunk muscle hyperactivation using the DNS technique.Therefore, DNS could be a novel intervention for restoring shoulder movement.Sidebottom demonstrated that DNS reduced pain while performing shoulder °exion and reaching behind the back and behind the head. 28ecent research has shown that breathing pattern dysfunction (BPD) can a®ect the musculoskeletal system, suggesting that it should be managed ¯rst when treating musculoskeletal disorders. 22BPD is often ignored in clinical practice due to a lack of time or knowledge. 29If breathing patterns are not normalized, this can a®ect more distal movement systems in the kinetic chain, causing dysfunction and pain. 22The distal extremities require proximal stability to move optimally. 30euromechanically, the di®erential e®ects observed in our study may have resulted from extremity movement control activation by DNS, which promotes core chain dynamic stabilization and movement control, 19,24 whereas other core exercises promote selective activation of the TrA or co-activation of the deep and super¯cial abdominal muscles.It has been theorized that DNS re°exively activates the ¯rst oblique core chain as soon as the shoulder-supporting zone is connected to the °oor surface, which provides the punctum ¯xum (stable basis) for the PM-AD-UTipsilateral EO-RA-contralateral IO contacting the TrA connected by the thoracolumbar fascia, while the second oblique chain is facilitated when the ipsilateral hip-supporting zone comes into contact with the surface, activating the opposite oblique chain muscle. 19,21,31These anterior oblique chains could be balanced by the dorsal chain muscles, thus being held upright and stabilizing, thereby generating an external (negative) stabilizing force, as in the horizontal shoulder adduction test.IAP is internally generated by the diaphragm-TrA-pelvic °oor-multi¯dus proximal core chain during breathing, which then requires a force to reinforce the oblique muscle chain. 32This synchronized coupling action of the internal and external pressure force chains provides muscle stabilization. 22,23n this study, we found that DNS changed PM, AD, and UT muscle activation in the cervical-thoracic-lumbar musculature.This is because DNS involves IAP generation via the oblique chain.Previous studies have demonstrated that motor control recruitment, motor control improvement, and muscle-coordinated activation can be achieved by restoring core stability and increasing IAP. 14,23ur study has some limitations that could be addressed by future studies.One limitation is that it investigated only horizontal shoulder adduction.Another limitation is that the super¯cial and deep chain muscles and IAP were not measured.Further research is needed to develop an MRI technique for accurately measuring basic chain muscle motor control during dynamic shoulder movements.

Conclusion
This study examined the e®ect of core exercises on muscle activity during horizontal shoulder adduction in healthy adults.DNS was found to e®ectively promote deep muscle activation and super¯cial muscle deactivation, resulting in minimal PM, AD, and UT activation.Moreover, it was signi¯cantly more e®ective than AB in facilitating deep abdominal muscle activation and inhibiting UT and PM activation.This research provides important insights into the core stabilization and motor control mechanisms and has clinical implications for the development of therapeutic exercises for treating shoulder pain.

8 J
. Mech.Med.Biol.Downloaded from www.worldscientific.comby YONSEI UNIVERSITY on 08/10/21.Re-use and distribution is strictly not permitted, except for Open Access articles.

Table 2 .
EMG activity of the UT, AD, PM, bilateral EO, and bilateral IO/TrA in 8-lb conditions.

Table 3 .
EMG activity of the UT, AD, PM, bilateral EO, and bilateral IO/TrA in 17-lb conditions (Unit: V).J. Mech.Med.Biol.Downloaded from www.worldscientific.comby YONSEI UNIVERSITY on 08/10/21.Re-use and distribution is strictly not permitted, except for Open Access articles.