Looped elastic bands around the thigh are commonly used during squats and result in increased hip activation.
Study Background: Due to the closed kinetic chain nature of the squat exercise, one may expect that placing the elastic band on distal segments, close to the floor contact, may not result in the same increase in hip muscle activation as that achieved with a looped band around the thigh.
What did the authors study?
Martins et al analyzed the effects of band position (thigh, lower leg, and forefoot) and band stiffness on the myoelectric activity of the tensor fascia latae, gluteus medius, gluteus maximus, biceps femoris, vastus medialis, and vastus lateralis during squats in 35 healthy subjects (18 men and 17 women).
So, what happened?
Based on their results, the hypothesis of a reduction in myoelectric activity of the hip muscles during the double leg support squat when the band is moved from the thigh to the feet must be rejected.
The greatest myoelectric activity of hip muscles was observed when the stiffest band was positioned around the forefeet with an increase in 24% for the tensor fascia latae, 83% for the gluteus medius, and 68% for the gluteus maximus compared to free (without resistance band) squatting.
Contrary to previous thinking, the use of elastic bands around the forefeet during squats can elicit increased myoelectric activity of hip muscles, with a magnitude often greater than when the band is placed around the thigh segments.
More details:
We further conclude that changes in band stiffness have a greater effect on hip muscle recruitment when positioned at distal compared to proximal sites of the leg.
Squatting with an elastic band around the forefoot elicited the greatest myoelectric activity of the gluteal and TFL muscles.
Finally, while TFL, gluteus medius, and gluteus maximus myoelectric activity was sensitive to changing the elastic band stiffness and position, VL, VM, and BF were not.
Author
Dr. Catherine Logan, MD, MBA
Catherine Logan, MD, MBA, MSPT, is a sports medicine orthopaedic surgeon specializing in complex knee and shoulder surgery at Colorado Sports Medicine and Orthopaedics (COSMO) in Denver, Colorado. As a former physical therapist & trainer, Dr. Logan provides a distinct expertise in sports injury, prevention, and surgical management.
