Trunk muscle activation during stabilization exercises with single and double leg support

The aim of this study was to analyze trunk muscle activity during bridge style stabilization exercises, when combined with single and double leg support strategies. Twenty-nine healthy volunteers performed bridge exercises in 3 different positions (back, front and side bridges), with and without an elevated leg, and a quadruped exercise with contralateral arm and leg raise ("bird-dog"). Surface EMG was bilaterally recorded from rectus abdominis (RA), external and internal oblique (EO, IO), and erector spinae (ES). Back, front and side bridges primarily activated the ES (approximately 17% MVC), RA (approximately 30% MVC) and muscles required to support the lateral moment (mostly obliques), respectively. Compared with conventional bridge exercises, single leg support produced higher levels of trunk activation, predominantly in the oblique muscles. The bird-dog exercise produced greatest activity in IO on the side of the elevated arm and in the contralateral ES. In conclusion, during a common bridge with double leg support, the antigravity muscles were the most active. When performed with an elevated leg, however, rotation torques increased the activation of the trunk rotators, especially IO. This information may be useful for clinicians and rehabilitation specialists in determining appropriate exercise progression for the trunk stabilizers.     

Core stability exercises in individuals with and without chronic nonspecific low back pain

Marshall, PWM, Desai, I, and Robbins, DW. Core stability exercises in individuals with and without chronic nonspecific low back pain. J Strength Cond Res 25(12): 3404-3411, 2011-The aim of this study was to measure trunk muscle activity during several commonly used exercises in individuals with and without low back pain (LBP). Abdominal bracing was investigated as an exercise modification that may increase the acute training stimulus. After an initial familiarization session, 10 patients with LBP and 10 matched controls performed 5 different exercises (quadruped, side bridge, modified push-up, squat, shoulder flexion) with and without abdominal bracing. Trunk muscle activity and lumbar range of motion (LROM) were measured during all exercises. Muscle activity was measured bilaterally during each exercise from rectus abdominis (RA), external obliques (EO), and lumbar erector spinae (ES) with pairs of surface electrodes. Recorded signals were normalized to a percentage of maximal voluntary contractions performed for each muscle. The ES activity was lower for the LBP group during the quadruped (p < 0.05) and higher for RA and EO during the side bridge (p < 0.001), compared to for the healthy controls. Higher muscle activity was observed across exercises in an inconsistent pattern when abdominal bracing was used during exercise. The LROM was no different between groups for any exercise. The lack of worsening of symptoms in the LBP group and similar LROM observed between groups suggest that all exercises investigated in this study are of use in rehabilitating LBP patients. The widespread use of abdominal bracing in clinical practice, whether it be for patients with LBP or healthy individuals, may not be justified unless symptoms of spinal instability are identified.     

Electromyographic comparison of the ab-slide and crunch exercises

The purpose of this study was to compare the Ab-Slide with crunch abdominal exercises for electromyographic activity for selected muscles. Forty-five subjects who regularly performed abdominal exercises participated. Subjects completed 5 trials for each exercise, with repetition rate controlled by the tester. Electromyographic activity for the external oblique (EO), upper rectus abdominis (URA), and lower rectus abdominis (LRA) was collected. Raw data for each muscle were rectified and integrated over 100-millisecond time intervals. For each muscle, the average concentric and eccentric integrated amplitudes of the middle 3 trials were compared with a dependent t-test. During concentric movement, the EO and LRA had significantly higher integrated activation amplitudes for the crunch exercise. During the eccentric movement, the URA, LRA, and EO had significantly higher average integrated activation amplitudes for the Ab-Slide exercise. The Ab-Slide is a credible abdominal exercise variation, but the crunch should remain the standard abdominal exercise.     

Electromyographical analysis and comparison of selected abdominal training devices with a traditional crunch

The present study compared the muscle activity elicited by selected abdominal training devices with muscle activity elicited by a traditional crunch. Forty-six adults participated in the study. The exercise devices tested included the Ab-ONE, Perfect Abs Roller, Ab Scissor, Ab Swing, 6SecondAbs, and the Torso Track. For those devices with variable resistances, all were tested at their high resistance setting. Surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded from the upper and lower portions of the rectus abdominis and the external oblique during each repetition. EMG values were analyzed using repeated measures analyses of variance (ANOVA) and pairwise comparisons. EMG measurements for each abdominal muscle analyzed were highly reliable and differed significantly across the exercises tested. Muscle activity for the upper and lower portions of the rectus abdominis for a normal crunch was lower than for the Ab-ONE, the same as for the Perfect Abs Roller, and higher than for the Ab Scissor, Ab Swing, 6SecondAbs, and Torso Track. External oblique muscle activity for a traditional crunch was higher than for the Perfect Abs Roller and did not differ from the other devices. These results support previous findings that portable abdominal devices are most effective if they not only mimic the mechanics of a traditional crunch, but also provide external resistance to increase involvement of the abdominal musculature.     

Electromyographic analysis of abdominal muscle activity using portable abdominal exercise devices and a traditional crunch

The purpose of this study was to compare the abdominal muscle activity elicited while using 4 portable abdominal training devices vs. a traditional crunch. Thirty-three adults participated in this study. The exercise devices tested included the Ab Roller Plus, Torso Track 2, AB-DOer Pro, and the Perfect Abs. All subjects were tested on the Perfect Abs in both a seated and supine position using low-, medium-, and high-resistance bands. The Torso Track 2 was also tested at low- and high-resistance settings. Surface electromyography (EMG) was recorded from the upper and lower portions of the rectus abdominis, external oblique, and the rectus femoris during each repetition. Statistical analyses were performed on the mean EMG values using a repeated analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure. There was no significant difference in abdominal muscle activity between the Ab Roller Plus, the Torso Track 2 (high resistance), and a traditional crunch. The mean abdominal muscle activity was significantly lower than a normal crunch, however, when using the AB-DOer, Torso Track (low resistance), and the Perfect Abs seated with the low-resistance band. In contrast, the Perfect Abs, when used in the supine position with the medium- and high-resistance bands, elicited significantly greater mean abdominal muscle activity than a crunch. Of the 4 devices tested, only the Perfect Abs when used in the supine position with the medium- and high-resistance bands, elicited more abdominal activity than a crunch. The results suggest that portable abdominal devices are most effective if they not only mimic the mechanics of a traditional crunch, but also provide external resistance to increase the involvement of the abdominal musculature.     

Electromyographic response of the abdominal musculature to varying abdominal exercises

This study examined the electromyographic (EMG) response of the upper rectus abdominis (URA), lower rectus abdominis (LRA), internal obliques (IOs), external obliques (EOs), and the rectus femoris (RF) during various abdominal exercises (crunch, supine V-up, prone V-up on ball, prone V-up on slide board, prone V-up on TRX, and prone V-up on Power Wheel). The subjects (n = 21) performed an isometric contraction of the abdominal musculature while performing these exercises. Testing revealed no statistically significant differences between any of the exercises with respect to the EOs, the URA, or the LRA. However, when examining the IO muscle, the supine V-up exercise displayed significantly greater muscle activity than did the slide exercise. In addition, EMG activity of the RF during the crunch was significantly less than in any of the other 5 exercises. These results indicate that when performing isometric abdominal exercises, non-equipment-based exercises stressed the abdominal muscles similarly to equipment-based exercises. Based on the findings of the current study, the benefit of training the abdominal musculature in an isometric fashion using commercial equipment could be called into question.     

Electromyographic activity of the rectus abdominis during a traditional crunch and the basic jackknife exercise with the Ab Lounge™

The use of nontraditional exercise devices such as the Ab Lounge? has been promoted as being as effective as the traditional abdominal crunch in strengthening the abdominal musculature. Evidence for this is lacking, however. The purpose of this study was to compare the degree of activation of the upper and lower rectus abdominis using electromyography (EMG) during a traditional crunch with the basic jackknife using the Ab Lounge?. Twenty-two subjects (6 men and 16 women) were randomly selected from the student population at the University of the West Indies (Mona Campus). The mean age of the participants was 20.5 ± 1.5 years, height 166.4 ± 6.2 cm, weight 64 ± 10.3 kg, and waist-hip ratio 0.7 ± 0.1. Surface EMG was used to assess the muscle activity from the upper and lower rectus abdominis while each exercise was performed. The EMG data were full-wave rectified and normalized using a mathematical model that was set up in Microsoft Excel for Windows XP. Statistical analysis was performed on the data using a univariate analysis of variance with gender as a covariate. Significance was determined by p < 0.05. The mean EMG data recorded for the upper rectus abdominis was significantly higher with the traditional crunch when compared with the basic jackknife performed on the Ab Lounge? (F = 4.39, p = 0.04). The traditional crunch produced a higher level of activity in the lower rectus abdominis when compared with the basic jackknife, but this was not statistically significant (F = 0.249, p = 0.62). There was no significant interaction between gender and the effect of the type of exercise on upper and lower rectus abdominis activation. These results suggest that the traditional abdominal crunch is more effective than the basic jackknife is in activating the rectus abdominis musculature.     

Electromyographic comparison of the upper and lower rectus abdominis during abdominal exercises

The objective of this pilot study was to determine the effect of 6 different abdominal exercises on the electrical activity of the upper rectus abdominis (URA) and lower rectus abdominis (LRA). Eight healthy, adult volunteers completed 6 random abdominal exercises: curl up, Sissel ball curl up, Ab Trainer curl up, leg lowering, Sissel ball roll out, and reverse curl up. Action potentials were recorded and analyzed from the URA and the LRA using surface electromyography (EMG) during a 2-second concentric contraction. The average normalized data were compared between the URA and the LRA in order to determine the behavior of the different muscle sites and between exercises in order to determine which exercises elicited the highest EMG activity. There were no significant differences (p > 0.05) between the EMG activity of the URA and LRA during any exercise. There were no significant interactions between subject and muscle site or between exercise and muscle site. Significant differences were found among the 6 exercises performed, and due to the interaction between subject and exercise performed. Both the URA and the LRA recorded significantly higher mean amplitudes during the Sissel ball curl up than during all other exercises. In addition, the curl up, Sissel ball curl up, and Ab Trainer curl up had significantly higher normalized EMG activity in both muscle sites than the reverse curl up, the leg lowering exercise, and the Sissel ball roll out. The curl up and the Ab Trainer curl up exercises were not significantly different in terms of their normalized EMG activities for both the URA and the LRA.     

An electromyographic analysis of the Ab-Slide exercise, abdominal crunch, supine double leg thrust, and side bridge in healthy young adults: implications for rehabilitation professionals

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of a commercial abdominal machine (Ab-Slide) and three common abdominal strengthening exercises (abdominal crunch, supine double leg thrust, and side bridge) on activating abdominal and minimizing extraneous (nonabdominal) musculature-namely, the rectus femoris muscle. We recruited 10 males and 12 females whose mean (+/- SD) percent body fat was 10.7 +/- 4 and 20.7% +/- 3.2%, respectively. Electromyographic (EMG) data were recorded using surface electrodes for the rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, and rectus femoris. We recorded peak EMG activity for each muscle during each of the four exercises and normalized the EMG values by maximum muscle contractions (% MVIC). A two-factor repeated-measures analysis of variance assessed differences in normalized EMG activity among the different exercise variations (p < 0.05). Post hoc analyses were performed using the Bonferroni-adjusted alpha to assess between-exercise pair comparisons (p < 0.002). Gender did not affect performance; hence, data were collapsed across gender. We found a muscle x exercise interaction (F9,189 = 5.2, p < 0.001). Post hoc analyses revealed six pairwise differences. The Ab-Slide elicited the greatest EMG activity for the abdominal muscles and the least for the rectus femoris. The supine double leg thrust could be a problem for patients with low-back pathology due to high rectus femoris muscle activity.     

An electromyographical comparison of trunk muscle activity during isometric trunk and dynamic strengthening exercises

The purpose of this study was to compare rectus abdominis and erector spinae muscle activity during isometric (prone bridge [PB] and superman [SM]) and dynamic strengthening exercises (back squat, front squat [FS], and military press). Participants (n = 10, age 21.8 ± 2.6 years; body mass 82.65 ± 10.80 kg, 174.5± 7.2 cm), performed each exercise in a randomized order, using a repeated-measures design. Electromyographical (EMG) activity (sampling at 2,000 Hz) of the rectus abdominis (RA) and the erector spinae (ES) muscles was recorded throughout the duration of the exercises. Intraclass correlations demonstrated the highest levels of reliability for muscle activity during the isometric exercises; however, all exercises demonstrated high level of reliability (r = 0.764-0.998, p ≤ 0.01). The PB demonstrated significantly greater (p < 0.01) RA activity compared to all other exercises. The ES activity was significantly (p < 0.01) greater during the FS (1.010 ± 0.308 root mean square value [RMS (V)]) and SM (0.951 ± 0.217 RMS[V]) and compared to all other exercises, although there was no significant difference (p > 0.05) between the FS and the SM exercise. The PB may be the most suitable exercise for strengthening the RA, compared to dynamic exercises at a low to moderate load, because of a higher level of muscle activity. The FS may be a useful alternative to isometric exercises when strengthening the ES, because it results in slightly higher muscle activity levels when using only a light to moderate load. Because of the dynamic nature of the FS, this may also be more beneficial in transferring to activities of daily living and sporting environments.     

Feedforward activation of the quadratus lumborum during rapid shoulder joint abduction

This study aimed to clarify the difference in the onset of EMG activity between eight trunk muscles, including the anterior (QL-a) and posterior (QL-p) layers of the quadratus lumborum during rapid shoulder joint abduction. Thirteen healthy men participated in this study. Electromyography of the QL-a, QL-p, transversus abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), external oblique (EO), rectus abdominis (RA), lumbar multifidus (LMF), lumbar erector spinae (LES) on non-movement side, and middle deltoid (MD) on the movement side were measured. Subjects who were standing in a relaxed position performed rapid shoulder abduction with the dominant hand after light stimulus with or without a 3 kg wrist weight. Two-way ANOVA (muscles × weight conditions) was used to compare the onset of trunk muscles relative to that of MD. There was a significant main effect of the muscles. The onset of the QL-a, QL-p, and TrA was significantly earlier than that of the IO, EO, LMF, and LES (P < 0.01). This result suggests that the activities of the QL-a, QL-p, and TrA have a crucial role in controlling the center of mass within the base of support and stabilizing the lumbar spine in the coronal plane during shoulder abduction.     

Trunk muscle activity during stability ball and free weight exercises

The purpose of this investigation was to compare trunk muscle activity during stability ball and free weight exercises. Nine resistance-trained men participated in one testing session in which squats (SQ) and deadlifts (DL) were completed with loads of approximately 50, 70, 90, and 100% of one-repetition maximum (1RM). Isometric contractions during 3 stability ball exercises (quadruped (QP), pelvic thrust (PT), ball back extension (BE)) were also completed. During all exercises, average integrated electromyography (IEMG) from the rectus abdominus (RA), external oblique (EO), longissimus (L1) and multifidus (L5) was collected and analyzed. Results demonstrate that when expressed relative to 100% DL 1RM, muscle activity was 19.5 +/- 14.8% for L1 and 30.2 +/- 19.3% for L5 during QP, 31.4 +/- 13.4% for L1 and 37.6 +/- 12.4% for L5 during PT, and 44.2 +/- 22.8% for L1 and 45.5 +/- 21.6% for L5 during BE. IEMG of L1 during SQ and DL at 90 and 100% 1RM, and relative muscle activity of L5 during SQ and DL at 100% 1RM was significantly greater (P < or = 0.05) than in the stability ball exercises. Furthermore, relative muscle activity of L1 during DL at 50 and 70% 1RM was significantly greater than in QP and PT. No significant differences were observed in RA and EO during any of the exercises. In conclusion, activity of the trunk muscles during SQs and DLs is greater or equal to that which is produced during the stability ball exercises. It appears that stability ball exercises may not provide a sufficient stimulus for increasing muscular strength or hypertrophy; consequently, the role of stability ball exercises in strength and conditioning programs is questioned. SQs and DLs are recommended for increasing strength and hypertrophy of the back extensors.     

Effect of instruction,surface stability,and load intensity on trunk muscle activity

The aim of this study was to assess the effect of verbal instruction, surface stability, and load intensity on trunk muscle activity levels during the free weight squat exercise. Twelve trained males performed a free weight squat under four conditions: (1) standing on stable ground lifting 50% of their 1-repetition maximum (RM), (2) standing on a BOSU balance trainer lifting 50% of their 1-RM, (3) standing on stable ground lifting 75% of their 1-RM, and (4) receiving verbal instructions to activate the trunk muscles followed by lifting 50% of their 1-RM. Surface EMG activity from muscles rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), transversus abdominis/internal oblique (TA/IO), and erector spinae (ES) were recorded for each condition and normalized for comparisons. Muscles RA, EO, and TA/IO displayed greater peak activity (39–167%) during squats with instructions compared to the other squat conditions (P = 0.04–0.007). Peak EMG activity of muscle ES was greater for the 75% 1-RM condition than squats with instructions or lifting 50% of 1-RM (P = 0.04–0.02). The results indicate that if the goal is to enhance EMG activity of the abdominal muscles during a multi-joint squat exercise then verbal instructions may be more effective than increasing load intensity or lifting on an unstable surface. However, in light of other research, conscious co-activation of the trunk muscles during the squat exercise may lead to spinal instability and hazardous compression forces in the lumbar spine.     

Rectus abdominis activity,but not femoris,is similar in different core training exercises: A statistical parametric mapping analysis

Rectus abdominis (RA) and rectus femoris (RF) differently activate in hip and trunk flexion movements. Previous studies using surface electromyography (sEMG) showed heterogenous results in mean and maximum activity of Upper (URA), Middle (MRA), and Lower (LRA) RA. Statistical Parametric Mapping (SPM) and Time-Varying Multi-muscle Co-activation function (TMCf) are emerging methods for whole-time-course continuous comparisons of muscle activity and co-activation. The aim was to analyse RA and RF activity in three core training exercises with continuous approach. Eight subjects performed Curl-up, Sit-up 45° and Sit-up 90° (where 45° is half and 90° is complete trunk flexion). sEMG from URA, MRA, LRA and RF were normalized to the maximum voluntary contraction root-mean-square (RMS_MVC), and compared among muscles/exercises with SPM and TMCf. Angular displacement was assessed using stereophotogrammetry. Curl-up, Sit-up 45° and Sit-up 90° did not differently activate URA, MRA or LRA, and in their common range of motion (ROM) RA activity was similar among the three exercises. Conversely, Sit-up exercises elicited higher RF activity than Curl-up (on average 45% vs. 25% RMS_MVC) mainly due to the wider ROM. RA-RF co-activation pattern was different in concentric and eccentric phases between Sit-up exercises and Curl-up, leading to significantly higher co-activation in Sit-up exercises.     

Trunk muscle electromyographic activity with unstable and unilateral exercises

The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the effect of unstable and unilateral resistance exercises on trunk muscle activation. Eleven subjects (6 men and 5 women) between 20 and 45 years of age participated. Six trunk exercises, as well as unilateral and bilateral shoulder and chest presses against resistance, were performed on stable (bench) and unstable (Swiss ball) bases. Electromyographic activity of the upper lumbar, lumbosacral erector spinae, and lower-abdominal muscles were monitored. Instability generated greater activation of the lower-abdominal stabilizer musculature (27.9%) with the trunk exercises and all trunk stabilizers (37.7-54.3%) with the chest press. There was no effect of instability on the shoulder press. Unilateral shoulder press produced greater activation of the back stabilizers, and unilateral chest press resulted in higher activation of all trunk stabilizers, when compared with bilateral presses. Regardless of stability, the superman exercise was the most effective trunk-stabilizer exercise for back-stabilizer activation, whereas the side bridge was the optimal exercise for lower-abdominal muscle activation. Thus, the most effective means for trunk strengthening should involve back or abdominal exercises with unstable bases. Furthermore, trunk strengthening can also occur when performing resistance exercises for the limbs, if the exercises are performed unilaterally.     

Comparison of EMG activity on abdominal muscles during plank exercise with unilateral and bilateral additional isometric hip adduction

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of additional isometric hip adduction during the plank exercise on the abdominal muscles. Twenty healthy young men participated in this study. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to monitor the activity of the bilateral rectus abdominis (RA), the internal oblique (IO), and the external oblique (EO) muscles. The participants performed three types of plank exercise; the standard plank exercise, the plank exercise with bilateral isometric hip adduction, and the plank exercise with unilateral isometric hip adduction. All abdominal muscle activity was significantly increased during the plank exercise combined with the bilateral and unilateral isometric hip adduction compared with the standard plank exercise (p < 0.05). Bilateral IO, EO, and left RA muscle activity was significantly increased during the unilateral isometric hip adduction compared with the bilateral isometric hip adduction (p < 0.05). These findings suggest that additional isometric hip adduction during the plank exercise could be a useful method to enhance abdominal muscle activity. In particular, the unilateral isometric hip adduction is a more beneficial exercise than the bilateral isometric hip adduction.     

Electromyographic comparison of a stability ball crunch with a traditional crunch

The purpose of this study was to compare abdominal muscle activity while performing a crunch on a stability ball with a traditional crunch. Forty-one healthy adults (23 men and 18 women) participated in the study. The subjects performed the crunch with the ball in 2 positions, 1 with the ball at the level of the inferior angles of the scapula (SB-high) and 1 with the ball at the level of the lower lumbar region of the back (SB-low). Surface electromyography was recorded from the upper and lower portions of the rectus abdominis and the external oblique during each repetition. Electromyography values were analyzed using repeated measures analyses of variance and pair-wise comparisons. Muscle activity for the upper and lower portions of the rectus abdominis and external oblique for a traditional crunch was significantly lower than for the crunch performed in the SB-low position but significantly greater than the SB-high position. Our data also showed that, on average, the abdominal muscle activity doubled when the stability ball was moved from the upper to the lower back position. These results support previous findings that a stability ball is not only effective for training the abdominal musculature, but, with the correct placement, it can also significantly increase muscle activity when compared with a traditional crunch. In addition, our results suggest that ball placement is critical for matching the appropriate overload to the condition level of the user.     

Electromyographic muscle activity in curl-up exercises with different positions of upper and lower extremities

The purpose of the study was to evaluate the electromyographic (EMG) activity of muscles in curl-up exercises depending on the position of the upper and lower extremities. From the perspective of biomechanics, different positions of the extremities result in shifting the center of gravity and changing muscular loads in abdominal strength exercises. The subjects of the research were 3 healthy students (body mass 53-56 kg and height 163-165 cm) with no history of low back pain or abdominal surgery. Subjects completed 18 trials for each of the 9 exercises (static curl-up with 3 positions of the upper and 3 position of the lower extremities). The same experiment with the same subjects was conducted on the next day. The EMG activity of rectus abdominis (RA), erector spinae (ES), and quadriceps femoris-long head (rectus femoris [RF]) was examined during the exercises. The surface electrical activity was recorded for the right and left sides of each muscle. The raw data for each muscle were rectified and integrated. The statistical analysis showed that changing the position of upper extremities in the examined exercises affects the EMG activity of RA and ES but does not significantly affect the EMG activity of RF. Additionally, it was found that curl-up exercises with the upper extremities extended behind the head and the lower extremities flexed at 90° in the hip and knee joints involve RA with the greatest intensity, whereas curl-up exercises with the upper extremities extended along the trunk and the lower extremities flexed at 90° in the hip and knee joints involve RA with the lowest intensity.     

Slow expiration reduces sternocleidomastoid activity and increases transversus abdominis and internal oblique muscle activity during abdominal curl-up

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of quiet inspiration versus slow expiration on sternocleidomastoid (SCM) and abdominal muscle activity during abdominal curl-up in healthy subjects. Twelve healthy subjects participated in this study. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to collect activity of bilateral SCM, rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and transversus abdominis/internal oblique (TrA/IO) muscles. A paired t-test was used to determine significant differences in the bilateral SCM, RF, EO, and TrA/IO muscles between abdominal curl-up with quiet inspiration and slow expiration. There were significantly lower EMG activity of both SCMs and greater EMG activity of both IOs during abdominal curl-up with slow expiration, compared with the EMG activity of both SCMs and IOs during abdominal curl-up with quiet inspiration (p < .05). The results of this study suggest that slow expiration would be recommended during abdominal curl-up for reduced SCM activation and selective activation of TrA/IO in healthy subjects compared with those in abdominal curl up with quiet inspiration.     

Patterns of trunk muscle activation during walking and pole walking using statistical non-parametric mapping

This study used surface electromyography (EMG) to investigate the regions and patterns of activity of the external oblique (EO), erector spinae longissimus (ES), multifidus (MU) and rectus abdominis (RA) muscles during walking (W) and pole walking (PW) performed at different speeds and grades. Eighteen healthy adults undertook W and PW on a motorized treadmill at 60% and 100% of their walk-to-run preferred transition speed at 0% and 7% treadmill grade. The Teager-Kaiser energy operator was employed to improve the muscle activity detection and statistical non-parametric mapping based on paired t-tests was used to highlight statistical differences in the EMG patterns corresponding to different trials. The activation amplitude of all trunk muscles increased at high speed, while no differences were recorded at 7% treadmill grade. ES and MU appeared to support the upper body at the heel-strike during both W and PW, with the latter resulting in elevated recruitment of EO and RA as required to control for the longer stride and the push of the pole. Accordingly, the greater activity of the abdominal muscles and the comparable intervention of the spine extensors supports the use of poles by walkers seeking higher engagement of the lower trunk region.