TITLE:
Relationship between Abdominal Strength Measured by a Newly Developed Device and Abdominal Muscle Thickness
AUTHORS:
Takanori Noguchi, Shinichi Demura
KEYWORDS:
Ultrasound Imaging Method, Measurement Device, Strength Exertion
JOURNAL NAME:
Advances in Physical Education,
Vol.4 No.2,
May
5,
2014
ABSTRACT:
Although
measurement of abdominal strength is important for evaluating trunk
myofunction, adequate devices for these measurements have not been developed.
As a consequence, the relationships between abdominal strength and abdominal
muscle thickness have also not been determined. This study aimed to develop a
new device for measuring abdominal strength and to examine the relationship
between abdominal muscle strength and thickness. The subjects in the study
included 50 young males (age, 19.1 ± 0.32 years; height, 171.0 ± 6.55 cm;
weight, 69.5 ± 12.15 kg). The measurement of abdominal flexion strength had
high reliability with an intra-class correlation coefficient (ICC) >0.9. The
thickness of the rectus abdominis muscle was measured under two conditions
using an ultrasound imaging method; relaxation and strength exertion. Abdominal
muscle thickness was significantly thicker during exertion than during
relaxation. Abdominal flexion strength showed a significant correlation with
muscle thickness during both relaxation (r = 0.69) and strength exertion (r =
0.71). No significant difference was found between these correlation
coefficients. In conclusion, the values of abdominal strength determined by our
newly-developed measuring device had high reliability, with abdominal flexion
strength showing a relatively close relationship with the thickness of the
rectus abdominis during strength exertion and relaxation.