Effect of Different Pelvic-Drop Exercises On Muscle Activity In Patients With Gluteus Medius Muscle Weakness

Research Objectives To determine the effects of pelvic-drop exercise with three different hip rotations on gluteus medius, tensor fasciae latae, gluteus maximus activity, and gluteus medius:tensor fasciae latae activity ratio in patients with gluteus medius weakness. Design Cross-sectional study. The effects of different hip rotation positions on hip abductor activity during pelvic-drop exercise were analyzed using a one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. Setting University research laboratory. Participants Eighteen patients with gluteus medius weakness participated in the study. Interventions The patients performed three different forms of pelvic-drop exercise with neutral hip, hip internal rotation, and hip external rotation. Main Outcome Measures Surface electromyography was performed to quantify the activity of gluteus medius, tensor fasciae latae, and gluteus maximus. Results Pelvic-drop exercise with hip internal rotation showed significantly greater gluteus medius activity than pelvic-drop exercise with neutral hip and hip external rotation. Tensor fasciae latae also showed significantly greater activity during pelvic-drop exercise with hip internal rotation than pelvic-drop exercise with neutral hip. Conclusions Pelvic-drop exercise with hip internal rotation is recommended to stimulate greater gluteus medius activity while preserving gluteus medius:tensor fasciae latae muscle activity ratio. Author(s) Disclosures The authors declare no conflict of interest.