The Effect of Altering Knee Position and Squat Depth on VMO : VL EMG Ratio During Squat Exercises
Two articles on PainSci cite Jaberzadeh 2016: 1. The Complete Guide to Patellofemoral Pain Syndrome 2. Patellofemoral Pain & the Vastus Medialis Myth
original abstract †Abstracts here may not perfectly match originals, for a variety of technical and practical reasons. Some abstacts are truncated for my purposes here, if they are particularly long-winded and unhelpful. I occasionally add clarifying notes. And I make some minor corrections.
BACKGROUND: Patellofemoral pain syndrome is an extremely common condition, believed to be caused by altered activation of vastus medialis obliquus (VMO), leading to maltracking of the patella.
AIM: This study aimed to investigate the effect of altering knee movement and squat depth on the ratio of VMO and vastus lateralis (VMO : VL) during squat exercises.
METHOD: Eighteen (7 male and 11 female) healthy, asymptomatic participants performed semi-squat exercises with three squat depths (20°, 50° and 80° of knee flexion) while following three knee movement paths (neutral, varus or valgus). Normalized VMO : VL ratio from linear envelope surface electromyography was analysed.
RESULTS: No significant effect was found for gender (p = 0.87), leg dominance (p = 0.99) or knee position (p = 0.44). A significant effect was found for squat depth (p < 0.001) with both the 50° and 80° squats showing increases in VMO : VL ratio (p = 0.031 and p = 0.028), respectively. The VMO : VL ratio was not influenced by gender, leg dominance or knee position in semi-squat exercises.
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: Increases in relative VMO activation did occur in 'deeper' squat depths (50° and 80° knee flexion) compared with the 20° condition. Further research is needed in this area concerning the effects of such exercise modifications on a symptomatic patellofemoral pain syndrome population. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
related content
- “Activities of the Vastus Lateralis and Vastus Medialis Oblique Muscles during Squats on Different Surfaces,” Hyong et al, J Phys Ther Sci, 2013.
- “Effects of the slow speed-targeting squat exercise on the vastus medialis oblique/vastus lateralis muscle ratio,” Yoo, J Phys Ther Sci, 2015.
- “Analysis of vastus lateralis and vastus medialis oblique muscle activation during squat exercise with and without a variety of tools in normal adults,” Lee et al, J Phys Ther Sci, 2016.
- “Muscle activation of vastus medialis obliquus and vastus lateralis during a dynamic leg press exercise with and without isometric hip adduction,” Peng et al, Physical Therapy in Sport, 2013.
- “The effect of closed-kinetic chain exercises and open-kinetic chain exercise on the muscle activity of vastus medialis oblique and vastus lateralis,” Irish et al, Journal of Strength & Conditioning Research, 2010.
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