A Study to Compare the Electromyographic Amplitude of the Gluteus Medius during forward and Lateral Step up Exercises

Objective: To examine the Electromyographic (EMG) amplitude of the gluteus medius (GM) muscles bilaterally during forward and lateral step up exercises.

Method and procedure: 50 female subjects were selected with age group between 18-23 years on the basis of inclusion criteria. Electromyographic activity of the right and left lower extremity was recorded during the forward step-up and lateral step-up in ascent phase as well as in descent phase.

Results and conclusion: It was seen that Step-up exercises are effective in activating the gluteus medius muscle, with lateral step-up exercises requiring greater gluteus medius muscle activation than forward step-up exercises on the basis of mean values. Further this study has found that the exercises programs for hip abductor muscle strengthening should preferentially include lateral over forward step-up exercises, since lateral stability is more required as compared to forward stability in falls prevention, hence these exercises should be started at early adulthood, so as to decrease the incidence of fall in older age.