Changes in lateral abdominal muscles' thickness immediately after the abdominal drawing-in maneuver and maximum expiration.

All lateral abdominal muscles contract more strongly during maximum expiration than during the abdominal drawing-in maneuver (ADIM). However, little is known about which of the lateral abdominal muscles is activated during maximum expiration. Thus, the purpose of this study is to quantify changes in the thickness of the lateral abdominal muscles immediately after the ADIM and maximum expiration. The thickness of the transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) muscles was measured by ultrasound imaging in 30 healthy men before and after the ADIM and maximum expiration. After the ADIM, there was no significant change in the thickness of the lateral abdominal muscles. After maximum expiration, the thickness of the TrA muscle significantly increased, and there was no significant change in the thickness of the IO and EO muscles. Thus, maximum expiration may be an effective method for TrA, rather than IO and EO, muscle training.