Activation of Back Muscles During Voluntary Abduction of the Contralateral Arm in Humans

Abstract

Facilitation of erector spinae with arm abduction remains evident in the lying posture when spinal postural stabilization mechanisms are presumably reduced. Similar facilitation profiles have been seen previously with changing voluntary activation of erector spinae in a trunk extension task, supporting the notion that during arm abduction the drive to the contralateral erector spinae has a corticospinal origin.