An Electromyographic Study of the Lower-limb Muscle Activities during Water Walking / 日本温泉気候物理医学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

In order to know the lower-limb muscle activities in water walking, we measured the lower-limb muscle activities in forward, backward, and lateral walking on land and in water for 5 healthy females and studied to compare their muscle activities.<BR>1. Free walking in water was greatly influenced by buoyancy than by viscosity resistance of water, and the activities of most muscles measured in all walking patterns were equivalent to those of free walking on land or decreased.<BR>2. Because labored walking in water obtains muscle propulsion compared to free walking on land, the amount of activity of all muscles except the middle gluteal muscle and the gastrocnemial muscle in forward walking and that of the adducent muscle group of the hip joint and the long head of biceps femoris muscle in backward walking and lateral walking significantly increased compared to those of free walking on land. A detailed analysis of the study indicated the possibility of selective muscle training such as labored backward walking in water for the long head of biceps femoris muscle and labored lateral walking in water for the adducent muscle group of the hip joint.