Comparison of lateral abdominal muscle thickness during bridge exercises with different support surfaces in healthy individuals

The effects of the continuous bridge exercise on the thickness of abdominal muscles in normal adults

[Purpose] The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of continuous bridge exercises accompanied by an abdominal drawing-in maneuver on the thickness of abdominal muscles of normal adults. [Participants and Methods] The number of participants were 32, of which 16 people were assigned to the experimental group and 16 to the control group, respectively. Continuous bridge exercises were performed by the experimental group in 15 sets of 25 minutes each, 3 times a week for 6 weeks. The thickness of the abdominal muscles was measured using real-time ultrasonography. [Results] When the thicknesses of the abdominal muscles in the experimental and control groups before and after the experiment were compared, it could be seen that the internal obliques abdominis (IO) and transversus abdominis (TrA) of the experimental group had been increased. [Conclusion] This study confirmed that continuous bridge exercises effected a change in the thickness of deep abdominal muscles.