Background: Ipsilateral pelvic elevation has been reported as a common compensatory movement during side-lying hip abduction. It has been reported that pelvic elevation inhibits sufficient contraction of gluteus medius. However, few studies have identified the effects of controlled pelvic elevation on the trunk and hip muscles. Objective: To examine the effects of controlled pelvic elevation using visual biofeedback on the muscle activity of the trunk and hip muscles. Design: Crossover study. Methods: Twelve healthy males performed side-lying hip abduction exercises with and without visual biofeedback for pelvic elevation. Electromyography (EMG) activities of the gluteus medius, quadratus lumborum, and multifidus were analyzed using a wireless EMG system while the ipsilateral pelvic elevation angle was measured using a motion sensor during side-lying hip abduction exercises. Results: EMG activities of the gluteus medius (p = .002), quadratus lumborum (p = .022), and multifidus (p = .020) were significantly increased and ipsilateral pelvic elevation was significantly decreased (p = .001) during side-lying hip abduction with visual biofeedback compared to without visual biofeedback. Conclusions: The results of this study suggest that the application of biofeedback for pelvic motion could improve the trunk and hip muscle activation pattern and decrease compensatory pelvic motion during side-lying hip abduction exercise.

Background:After a stroke, the control of the trunk muscle may be severely impaired. Due to the importance of trunk control in complex daily postures, the ability to adopt a correct sitting posture is considered a determinant of the recovery of independent function after a stroke.Objects:The purposes of this study were to compare differences in buttock pressure between the left and right sides of hemiplegic patients and differences in their pelvic tilting angles (sagittal and coronal planes) after sitting training with visual biofeedback (VBF) in real time.Methods:Twenty-two individuals with unilateral strokes (11 left-side and 11 right-side hemiplegic stroke patients) participated in this study. Buttock pressure was measured using a pressure mat, and pelvic angles were measured using a palpation meter.Results:The asymmetry of pressure between the right and left (first and third chamber) sides was significantly decreased after the VBF training. The measurements obtained using the palpation meter revealed a significant decrease in the pelvic angles pre- versus post-intervention.Conclusion:VBF training may be distribute a patient’s buttock pressure equally while in a sitting posture and increase the length of time a stroke patient can maintain a symmetrical sitting posture. It can also improve pelvic control while sitting in a neutral position.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of visual electromyography (EMG) biofeedback on the EMG activity of the lower trapezius (LT), serratus anterior (SA), and upper trapezius (UT) muscles, the LT/UT and SA/UT EMG activity ratios, and the scapular upward rotation angle during scapular posterior tilting exercise (SPTE). Twenty-four subjects with round-shoulder posture participated in this study. The EMG activities of the LT, SA, and UT were collected during SPTE both without and with visual EMG biofeedback. The scapular upward rotation angle was measured at the baseline, after SPTE without visual EMG biofeedback, and after SPTE with visual EMG biofeedback. The LT, SA, and UT EMG activities, and the LT/UT and SA/UT EMG activity ratios were analyzed by paired t-test. The scapular upward rotation angle was statistically analyzed using one-way repeated analysis of variance. If a significant difference was found, a Bonferroni correction was performed (p=.05/3=.017). The EMG activities of LT and SA significantly increased, and the EMG activity of UT significantly decreased during SPTE with visual EMG biofeedback compared to SPTE without visual EMG biofeedback (p<.05). In addition, the LT/UT and SA/UT EMG activity ratios significantly increased during SPTE with visual EMG biofeedback compared to SPTE without visual EMG biofeedback (p<.05). Significant increases were found in the scapular upward rotation angle after SPTE without and with visual EMG biofeedback compared to baseline (p<.017), and no significant differences were observed in the scapular upward rotation angle between SPTE without and with visual EMG biofeedback. In conclusion, SPTE using visual EMG biofeedback may be an effective method for increasing LT and SA activities while reducing UT activity.

The purpose of this study was to assess visual biofeedback's influence on trunk muscles' (EMG) activity and endurance holding time for correct position during whole-body tilt exercise. For the study, we recruited 14 volunteers who showed no symptom of lumbar disease during medical tests. We measured the EMG activity of their rectus abdominis, external abdominal oblique, internal abdominal oblique and erector spinae muscles, and their endurance holding time for correct position during anterior and posterior whole-body tilt under two conditions: whole-body tilt with and without visual biofeedback. Resistance with gravitational force on the trunk during whole-body tilt was applied by using a device that had a monitor on which the subjects could check their alignment and that sounded an alarm if a subject's alignment collapsed. The study showed an increase in the EMG activity of external abdominal oblique, internal abdominal oblique/rectus abdominis ratio and endurance holding time for correct position during both anterior and posterior whole-body tilt with visual biofeedback compared with without visual biofeedback (p<.05). We suggest that the whole-body tilt exercise with visual biofeedback could be a beneficial strategy for selectively strengthening the internal abdominal oblique muscle and minimizing the rectus abdominis muscle's activity while maintaining correct alignment during whole-body tilt exercise.

To reduce winging scapula, various exercise protocols have been widely used by clinicians. Selective serratus anterior strengthening, and restoring balanced function, are especially recommended to reduce winging scapula. The purpose of this study was to investigate visual biofeedback using a real time video camera display system for monitoring scapular winging during arm lowering. For this study, 13 males with winging scapular were recruited during arm lowering. Electromyography (EMG) activity was recorded from the serratus anterior (SA) and upper trapezius (UT) of the right side and compared with normal EMG activity using a paired t-test. The study showed, through visual biofeedback, that EMG activity significantly increased in the SA and significantly decreased in the UT (p<.05). These results suggest that visual biofeedback can be recommended as an effective method for scapular eccentric control, to prevent scapular winging during arm lowering.

Weight bearing training on the involved leg is impotant for ambulation and activities of daily living in ambulatory hemiplegic patients. Traditionally, physical therapists have relied on exercise therapy and subjective evaluation. The goal for this study was to measure lower extremity weight distribution in standing with ten hemiplegic pations(M:8, F:2) and to determine the traing effect on symmetrical standing posture using a "Limloader". The Limloader is a machine designed for training symmetrical weight bearing posture. The results showed that the ability to keep the center of gravity within the limits for balance was improved significantly but the ability to adjust weight bearing on the involved leg was not (p<0.05). This study demostrated that hemiplegics can improved their symmetrical weight bearing ability using sensory biofeedback.