Rehabilitating Low Back Disorders - Fundamentals and Assessment Tools for Occupational Ergonomics - page 462

FIGURE 20.6 The horizontal isometric side-bridge. Supporting the lower body with the knees on the floor reduces
the demand further for those who are more concerned with safety while supporting the body with the feet increases
the muscle challenge, but also the spine load.
20.7 Training Rectus Abdominis, the Obliques and
Transverse Abdominis
Given the evidence for the obliques and transverse abdominis in ensuring sufficient stability, quantitative
data has confirmed that there is no single abdominal exercise that challenges all of the abdominal mus-
culature, 5,23 requiring the prescription of more than one single exercise. Calibrated intramuscular and
surface EMG evidence suggests that the various types of curl-ups challenge mainly rectus abdominis
since psoas and abdominal wall (internal and external oblique, transverse abdominis) activity is relatively
FIGURE 20.7 Advanced side-bridge — following each side-bridge hold, one “rolls” from one elbow to the other
while abdominally bracing locks the pelvis and the rib cage.