Effect of initial position on the muscle activity of the hip extensors and amount of pelvic tilt during prone hip extension

[Purpose] The aim of this study was to identify the effects of initial position of the hip joint with changes in the hip joint angle on the respective muscle activities of the bilateral erector spinae (ES), unilateral gluteus maximus (GM), and biceps femoris (BF) and the amount of pelvic anterior tilt during prone hip extension (PHE). [Subjects] Fifteen healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. [Methods] The subjects performed PHE in three positions: neutral, 20°, and 45° flexed hip joint. The activities of the ES, GM, and BF were measured using surface electromyography, and kinematic values for pelvic anterior tilt were calculated using a motion capture system. [Results] There was a significant decrease in muscle activity of the contralateral ES at 45°, and an increase in the GM muscle activity and decrease in the BF muscle activity at 20°. The amount of pelvic anterior tilt was lower at 20°. [Conclusion] These results suggest that a hip flexion position of 20° would have an advantage over the other measured positions.