Breathing Techniques Affect Female but Not Male Hip Flexion Range of Motion

• Published in: Journal of strength and conditioning research 2015-11, Vol.29 (11), p.3197-3205
• Main Authors: Hamilton, Alan R, Beck, Katie L, Kaulbach, Jillian, Kenny, Megan, Basset, Fabien A, DiSanto, Mario C, Behm, David G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biomechanics; Breathing Exercises; Electromyography; Exercise; Female; Females; Hip Joint - physiology; Humans; Male; Males; Movement; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Range of Motion, Articular - physiology; Respiration; Sex Factors; Young Adult
• ISSN: 1064-8011; 1533-4287
• DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0000000000000982

ABSTRACTHamilton, AR, Beck, KL, Kaulbach, J, Kenny, M, Basset, FA, DiSanto, MC, and Behm, DG. Breathing techniques affect female but not male hip flexion range of motion. J Strength Cond Res 29(11)3197–3205, 2015—Two protocols were undertaken to help clarify the effects of breathing techniques on hamstrings (hip flexion) range of motion (ROM). The protocols examined effects of breathing conditions on ROM and trunk muscle activity. Protocol 1Thirty recreationally active participants (15 male, 15 female, 20–25 years) were monitored for changes in single-leg raise (SLR) ROM with 7 breathing conditions before or during a passive supine SLR stretch. Breathing conditions included prestretch inhale, prestretch exhale, inhale-during stretch, exhale-during stretch, neutral, hyperventilation, and hypoventilation before stretch. Protocol 2Eighteen recreationally active participants (9 male, 9 female, 20–25 years) were monitored for electromyographic (EMG) activity of the rectus abdominus, external obliques, lower abdominal stabilizers, and lower erector spinae while performing the 7 breathing conditions before or during a passive SLR stretch. Control exhibited less ROM (p = 0.008) than the prestretch inhale (7.7%), inhale-during stretch (10.9%), and hypoventilation (11.2%) conditions with females. Protocol 3Greater overall muscle activity in the prestretch exhale condition was found compared with inhale-during stretch (43.1%↓; p = 0.029) and hypoventilation (51.2%↓; p = 0.049) conditions. As the inhale-during stretch and hypoventilation conditions produced the lowest levels of muscle activity for both sexes and the highest ROM for the females, it can be assumed that both mechanical and neural factors affect female SLR ROM. Lesser male ROM might be attributed to anatomical differences such as greater joint stiffness. The breathing techniques may have affected intra-abdominal pressure, trunk muscle cocontractions, and sympathetic neural activity to enhance female ROM.