Effects of Multidirectional Stepper Exercise on Lower-Limb Muscle Activation and Dynamic Balance

Purpose: This study compared lower-limb muscle activation and dynamic balance according to exercise direction using three steppers (vertical, spiral, and side).Methods: Thirty-six healthy adult males were randomly assigned to one type of stepper exercise and performed the exercise for 3 minutes.Surface electromyography (sEMG) was used to measure the activation of eight lower-limb muscles.Dynamic balance before and after the intervention was assessed using the Y-Balance Test.Data were analyzed using one-way ANOVA and paired t-tests, with the significance level of = 0.05.Results: Muscle activation increased in all groups after the stepper exercises.The side-stepper exercise showed significantly greater activation of the gluteus medius, gastrocnemius medialis, and peroneus longus compared to the vertical and spiral stepper exercises (p<0.05).Dynamic balance also improved in all groups, with the side-stepper group demonstrating the greatest improvement (8.753.00cm). Conclusion:This study examined vertical, spiral, and side stepper exercises on lower-limb muscle activation and dynamic balance.The side stepper produced the greatest improvements in the activation of the gluteus medius, gastrocnemius medialis, and peroneus longus, as well as in dynamic balance.Its multidirectional motion resembles PNF diagonal patterns and may support selective strengthening.Acute improvements were confirmed, but long-term and joint-specific effects remain