THE EFFECTS OF INITIAL HIP ABDUCTION AND EXTERNAL ROTATION STRENGTH AND NEUROMUSCULAR FATIGUE OF THE GLUTEUS MEDIUS ON THE STAR EXCURSION BALANCE TEST IN MALE AND FEMALE HEALTHY SUBJECTS
The gluteus medius muscle is an essential hip stabilizer during unilateral stance. A weakened or fatigued gluteus medius may be associated with decreases in postural control during dynamic balance. The objective of this study was to determine if initial hip muscular strength and gender affect neuromuscular performance on the Star Excursion Balance Test (SEBT) following fatigue of the hip musculature. In a randomized control trial, set in a laboratory, 20 male and 20 female recreationally active subjects with no history of lower extremity injury were recruited to participate in this study. Subjects were randomized into control and experimental groups. Experimental subjects were placed through separate hip abduction and external rotation fatiguing exercises, followed by the SEBT. Control subjects were not placed through a fatiguing protocol before the SEBT. Fatigue was assessed with a handheld dynamometer compared to a 43% decrease in peak force compared to baseline measurements. The SEBT was used to determine normalized reach distances during all three sessions. No significant difference between reach distances was noted between fatigue and non-fatigue groups. A main effect of time for all subjects was observed (p=0.042). Gender was significant for all subjects, regardless of group (p = 0.001). Performance on the SEBT is not affected by initial strength and fatigue of the hip abductors and external rotators between genders.
Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations