The Effect of Ground Poles and Elastic Resistance Bands on Longissimus Dorsi and Rectus Abdominus Muscle Activity During Equine Walk and Trot.

This research discusses the impact of ground poles and elastic resistance bands on the activity of two horse muscles – the longissimus dorsi and rectus abdominus – during the animal’s walk and trot stages. The study finds significant increases in muscle activation when using these tools, thus implying their benefits for core strengthening and postural stability in horses.

Objective of the Study

• The central aim of the research was to quantify changes in muscle activation in horses while walking and trotting, done under specific conditions such as with ground poles positioned evenly and parallel in a straight line, also, with the application of elastic resistance bands stretched to 25 percent.
• The characteristics of two specific muscles – the longissimus dorsi (along the back) and rectus abdominus (abdominal) – were examined here. Biological data collected through surface electromyography (sEMG) was scrutinized to analyze the muscle response.

Study Design and Methodology

• For a detailed investigation, the study utilized a 2 × 2 repeated measures ANOVA (Analysis of Variance) – a statistical test used to compare the means of two or more samples – for each muscle. This test was intended to highlight significant differences in muscle reactions under different circumstances.
• The results were then interpreted using post-hoc pairwise comparisons – another statistical method – to determine the differences between conditions, specifically with or without the presence of ground poles or elastic resistance bands.

Key Findings

• The most significant observation of the research was that using ground poles while the horse walked increased muscle activation in both muscles; the same was observed for the rectus abdominus muscle during the trot phase.
• Similarly, the application of the hindquarter and abdominal elastic resistance bands resulted in an approximate increase of 27 percent in the rectus abdominus muscles’ mean average rectified value, though only on the left side was this statistically significant.
• The findings consequently established mute changes in muscle activation when using ground poles and resistance bands, proving beneficial for increasing both core and epaxial muscle engagement in horses.

Suggestions for Future Research

• While the study significantly identified the effects of elastic resistance bands on core muscle activation during trotting, it suggests a need for further research to better characterize their effects on muscle activation.