Comparison of Abdominal Muscle Activity and Thickness of Convex and Concave Sides of Men with Mild Scoliosis

Purpose: The aim of this study was to compare the abdominal muscle activity and thickness of the convex and concave sides of men with mild scoliosis.Methods: This study employed 16 male participants with mild scoliosis (Cobb's angle: 1020).We investigated the differences in muscle activity and thickness of the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO) on the convex and concave sides according to mild scoliosis.Muscle activation was measured in the curl-up and plank positions using electromyography, and muscle thickness was measured during maximal exhalation using ultrasound.Results: In terms of muscle activation, the RA and IO muscle activities on the convex side were higher than on the concave side in the curl-up position (RA: p < 0.01, IO: p < 0.01).In the plank position, the RA and IO muscle activities on the concave side were higher than on the convex side (RA: p < 0.01, IO: p < 0.01).In terms of muscle thickness, there was no significant difference in any muscle (RA, EO, or IO) between the convex and concave sides according to scoliosis. Conclusion:According to the results, there was a significant difference in abdominal muscle activity between the convex and concave sides according to mild scoliosis.However, in terms of abdominal muscle thickness, there was no significant difference between the convex and concave sides.Therefore, the results of this study show that mild scoliosis affects abdominal muscle function, such as muscle activity, but does not change abdominal muscle structure.