Activation Patterns of Hip Extensors During Reverse Hyperextension Exercise According to Hip Abduction Angles

The purpose of this study was to investigate whether different hip abduction angles might alternate hip extensor muscle activity in reverse hyperextension (RHE) exercise. Fourteen healthy male subjects performed RHE in 4 hip abduction angles (-10°, 0°, 15°, and 30°). Muscle activities of longissimus, gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, biceps femoris, semitendinosus, and adductor magnus were measured by surface electromyography device. One-way repeated ANOVA was used to analyze the results from each angle of muscle and the ratio of muscle activation. During the concentric phase of RHE, gluteus medius activation was greater at 15° and 30° of hip abduction angles (p.001) than at -10 and 0°, while biceps femoris was greatest at -10° (p.001) followed by 0°, 15°, and 30° of hip abduction angles. During the eccentric phase of RHE, gluteus medius activation was greater at 15° and 30° of hip abduction angles (p.003) than -10°, while biceps femoris was greatest at -10° (p.001) followed by 15° and 30°. Our findings suggest that RHE of hip abduction at 15° and 30° might be the most appropriate angle for maximizing gluteal muscle activation.