Assessment of hip muscles using surface EMG in gait analysis

Objectives: The rectus femoris muscle flexes the thigh, while the gluteus maximus muscle extends it. Understanding the activations of these two muscles that function in opposition to each other during walking facilitates the interpretation of gait pathologies. The aim of this study was to evaluate the activations of these muscles during walking by using the surface electromyography (EMG) technique. Methods: Twenty female volunteers aged 18–26 years participated in our study. The electrical activation of the rectus femoris and gluteus maximus muscles of the participants was simultaneously evaluated by gait analysis. At the same time, spatiotemporal parameters and phase parameters were obtained. Results: The activation pattern of both muscles was found to be similar. Both muscles reached the highest activation in the swing phase. The lowest activation was also seen in the pre-swing phase. Both muscles were observed to be active in the loading and single-limb support phases. Conclusion: The fact that these two antagonists muscles are active at the same time suggests that one is functioning concentrically, while the other eccentrically. Thus, stabilization of hip joint is provided when the body moves forward.

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