Verification of surface electromyographic activity of the oblique externus abdominis using ultrasound shear wave elastography

This study used ultrasound shear wave elastography (SWE) to revalidate whether surface electromyographic (EMG) electrodes placed on the oblique externus abdominis (OE) can detect only the OE activity without the confounding activity of the underlying oblique internus abdominis (OD. During left and right trunk rotations, the EMG activity was acquired using surface EMG electrodes placed on the right OE. Shear wave velocity (V-s) values of the right OE and OI were acquired using SWE. The EMG activity during the left and right trunk rotations significantly increased as the level of exertion increased (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% of the one-repetition maximum [1RM]). The V-s of the right OE was significantly different only between 25% and 75% 1RM in the right trunk rotation, but significantly increased from 25% to 75% 1RM during the left trunk rotation. The V-s of the right OI during the right trunk rotation significantly increased with increased levels of exertion, except between 50% and 75% 1RM. The results for the V-s of the OE and OI in the right trunk rotation suggest that surface EMG electrodes placed on the OE would detect not only the antagonistic OE activity but also the agonistic OI activity.