Date Available

12-7-2011

Year of Publication

2009

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Document Type

Thesis

College

Education

Department

Kinesiology and Health Promotion

First Advisor

Dr. Robert Shapiro

Abstract

The goals of the pelvis include maintaining the center of mass of the body, assisting in foot clearance and absorb forces from the lower extremities using muscles and ligaments to stabilize the joint. A better understanding of the influence of muscle strength on controlling pelvic obliquity in a healthy population will help in understanding low back pain and overuse lower extremity injuries. Thirteen females (22 ±2 yrs) participated in isokinetic strength testing of the hip abductors, adductors, internal rotators and external rotators on a Biodex dynamometer. The subjects also underwent gait analysis during self selected pace walking and stair descent. For each muscle group subjects were divided into weaker and stronger groups based on the mean. Independent t-test revealed a significantly greater amount of pelvic obliquity in the stronger group for abductors, adductors, and internal rotators during stair descent. Subjects may be compensating for more pelvic obliquity with less movement of the hip, knee and ankle. During walking weaker external rotators was the only muscle group that significantly increased pelvic obliquity. Our study supports the finding of other studies that the external rotators contribute to pelvic stabilization during walking (Powers, 2003).

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