Comparison of Trunk Muscles between 3 Different Squats in Normal Adults

Objective: This study aimed to examine the changes in trunk muscle activity after performing three squat exercises in normal adults. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Thirty-two adults participated in the study. General squat, overhead squat, and overhead squat combined with abdominal stabilization were randomly performed for 5 seconds, threetimes, to calculate the average muscle activation. Muscle activation was normalized using electrodes on the rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, and erector spinae muscles to measure the maximum voluntary isometric contraction for 5 seconds, repeated three times each. Results: We observed a significant difference in the mean and maximum muscle activity of the bilateral erector spinae (ES) between squats and overhead squats (p < 0.05). There was also a significant difference (p < 0.05) in the mean and maximum muscle activity of the bilateral external oblique (EO) between the overhead squat and overhead squat combined with the abdominal stabilization technique. When comparing the squat to the overhead squat with abdominal stabilization, significant differenceswere found in the mean and maximum muscle activities of the bilateral RA, EO, and left internal oblique (IO) muscles (p < 0.05) and in the maximum muscle activity of the bilateral ES (p < 0.05). Post-hoc tests showed significant differences between the squatting methods for the RA, EO, IO, and ES (p < 0.017). Conclusion: Squats combined with abdominal stabilization were more effective at activating core muscles than squats or overhead squats alone.