Abstract
Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of anterolateral (45$^{\circ}$) and lateral (90$^{\circ}$) direction resistance, with using an elastic band, on the electromyographic(EMG) activity ratio of the vastus medialis oblique (VMO) and the vastus lateralis (VL) during squat exercise. Methods: The study subjects were 19 active people with no history of patellofemoral pain, limitation of range of motion or pain when performing squat exercise. A 'repeated measures within subjects' design was used. The subjects were asked to perform three repetitions of a 90$^{\circ}$ knee flexion squat exercise with anterolateral (45$^{\circ}$) and lateral (90$^{\circ}$) resistance and without resistance, respectively. The EMG activity of the VMO and VL were recorded by surface EMG electrodes and the results were normalized by the % MVIC value. Results: Repeated measures ANOVA's revealed that squat exercise with anterolateral (45$^{\circ}$) resistance produced significantly greater VMO/VL EMG activity ratio than that with lateral (90$^{\circ}$) resistance and without resistance (p=.013). Yet the result of contrast testing revealed that squat exercise with lateral (90$^{\circ}$) resistance showed no significant difference of the VMO/VL EMG activity ratio, as compared with squat exercise without resistance (p>0.05). Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that squat exercise combining anterolateral (45$^{\circ}$) resistance can contribute positively to the patients with patellofemoral pain as they increase the VMO/VL EMG activity ratio.