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JOURNAL
OF
SPORTS SCIENCE &
MEDICINE
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Research
article
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THE EFFECT OF CORE EXERCISES ON TRANSDIAPHRAGMATIC PRESSURE |
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Lisa M. Strongoli, Christopher L. Gomez and J. Richard Coast  |
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S.A. Rasmussen Exercise Physiology Laboratory, Department of Biological Sciences,Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, AZ, USA |
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© Journal of Sports Science and Medicine (2010) 9, 270 - 274 |
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| ABSTRACT | |||
| Abdominal exercises, such as sit ups and leg lifts, are used to
enhance strength of the core muscles. An overlooked aspect of abdominal
exercises is the compression the abdomen, leading to increased diaphragmatic
work. We hypothesized that core exercises would produce a variety of transdiaphragmatic
pressures. We also sought to determine if some of the easy exercises would
produce pressures sufficient for a training stimulus to the diaphragm. We
evaluated the effect of 13 different abdominal exercises, ranging in difficulty,
on transdiaphragmatic pressure (Pdi), an index of diaphragmatic activity.
Six healthy subjects, aged 22 to 53, participated. Each subject was instrumented
with two balloon-tipped catheters to obtain gastric and esophageal pressures,
from which Pdi was calculated. Prior to initiating the exercises, each subject
performed a maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) maneuver. Resting Pdi was
also measured. The exercises were performed from least to most difficult,
with five repetitions each. There was a significant difference between the
exercises and the MIP Pdi, as well as between the exercises and resting
Pdi (p < 0.001). The exercises stratified into three Pdi levels. Seven
of the exercises yielded Pdi > 50% of the Pdi during the MIP maneuver,
which may provide a training stimulus to the diaphragm if used as a regular
exercise. The Pdi measurements also provide insight into diaphragm recruitment
during different core exercises, and may aid in the design of exercises
to improve diaphragm strength and endurance.
Key words: Abdominal exercise, diaphragm activation, gastric pressure, esophageal pressure. |
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