Quantifying ‘normal’ shoulder muscle activity during abduction (original) (raw)

Electromyographic analysis: shoulder muscle activity revisited

Archives of orthopaedic and trauma surgery, 2015

Restoring optimal strength and biomechanics of a pathologic shoulder knowledge of activity patterns of healthy glenohumeral muscles is mandatory. Yet, data on normal shoulder muscle activity are not always conclusive. The study was undertaken (a) to evaluate muscle activity patterns in the healthy shoulder using surface and fine-wire electromyography (EMG), and (b) to assess method's suitability in the clinical setting especially regarding painfulness and practicability. Surface and fine-wire EMG was performed on 11 healthy subjects (2f/9m, Ø age 28 years) to assess 14 muscles including rotator cuff muscles during 8 planar standardised shoulder movements (abduction, forward flexion, internal and external rotation in neutral, 45° and 90° abduction). Pain was assessed using the visual analogue scale before testing, after inserting the fine-wire electrodes, after maximal voluntary contraction, before and after exercises, and after electrode removal. The most important finding regar...

Electromyographical comparison of four common shoulder exercises in unstable and stable shoulders

Rehabilitation research and practice, 2012

This study examines if electromyographic (EMG) amplitude differences exist between patients with shoulder instability and healthy controls performing scaption, prone horizontal abduction, prone external rotation, and push-up plus shoulder rehabilitation exercises. Thirty nine subjects were categorized by a single orthopedic surgeon as having multidirectional instability (n = 10), anterior instability (n = 9), generalized laxity (n = 10), or a healthy shoulder (n = 10). Indwelling and surface electrodes were utilized to measure EMG activity (reported as a % of maximum voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC)) in various shoulder muscles during 4 common shoulder exercises. The exercises studied effectively activated the primary musculature targeted in each exercise equally among all groups. The serratus anterior generated high activity (50-80% MVIC) during a push-up plus, while the infraspinatus and teres major generated moderate-to-high activity (30-80% MVIC) during both the prone hori...

Effects of experimental muscle pain on shoulder-abduction force steadiness and muscle activity in healthy subjects

European Journal of Applied Physiology, 2008

Altered shoulder muscle activity is frequently believed to be a pathogenetic factor of subacromial impingement (SI) and therapeutic interventions have been directed towards restoring normal motor patterns. Still, there is a lack of scientific evidence regarding the changes in muscle activity in patients with SI. The aim of the study was to determine and compare the activity pattern of the shoulder muscles in subjects with and without SI. Twenty-one subjects with SI and 20 healthy controls were included. Electromyography (EMG) was assessed from eight shoulder muscles from both shoulders during motion. In the symptomatic shoulder, there was a significantly greater EMG activity during abduction in the supraspinatus and latissimus muscles and less activity in serratus anterior compared to the healthy subjects. During external rotation, there was significantly less activity of the infraspinatus and serratus anterior muscles on the symptomatic side compared to the healthy subjects. On the asymptomatic side, the groups showed different muscle activity during external rotation. Our findings of an altered shoulder muscle activity pattern on both the symptomatic and asymptomatic side in patients indicate that the different motor patterns might be a pathogenetic factor of SI, perhaps due to inappropriate neuromuscular strategies affecting both shoulders.

Altered patterns of muscle activation during performance of four functional tasks in patients with shoulder disorders: Interpretation from voluntary response index

Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 2006

Altered motor control of the shoulder muscles during performance of a specific motor task in patients with shoulder disorders (SDs) has been an interesting subject to researchers. This study compared shoulder muscle activation patterns by surface electromyography (sEMG), including the upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT), and serratus anterior (SA) muscles, during four functional tasks in 25 patients with SDs and controls. A voluntary response index (VRI) was calculated, including magnitude and similarity index (SI), to quantify sEMG patterns during four functional tasks. Responsiveness and clinically meaningful levels of discrimination between patients and control for EMG magnitude and SI were determined. An altered pattern of motor control during four functional tasks was evident in the patients, in which greater EMG amplitude and abnormal EMG patterns were found. For SI among four functional tasks, normal subjects ranged from 0.80 to 1.00 while patients ranged from 0.70 to 0.99. High probabilities (97%) of discrimination between patients and normal subjects were found by SI method during an overhead height task (patients: 0.85-0.96, normal subjects: 0.95-1.00). Our results also suggest that an individual can be estimated to be abnormal when lower SI values are observed during the four functional tasks.

Effects of posture, movement and hand load on shoulder muscle activity

Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology, 2010

The influence of external factors such as arm posture, hand loading and dynamic exertion on shoulder muscle activity is needed to provide insight into the relationship between internal and external loading of the shoulder joint. Surface electromyography was collected from 8 upper extremity muscles on 16 participants who performed isometric and dynamic shoulder exertions in three shoulder planes (flexion, mid-abduction and abduction) covering four shoulder elevation angles (30°, 60°, 90°and 120°). Shoulder exertions were performed under three hand load conditions: no load, holding a 0.5 kg load and 30% grip. It was found that adding a 0.5 kg load to the hand increased shoulder muscle activity by 4% maximum voluntary excitation (MVE), across all postures and velocities. Performing a simultaneous shoulder exertion and hand grip led to posture specific redistribution of shoulder muscle activity that was consistent for both isometric and dynamic exertions. When gripping, anterior and middle deltoid activity decreased by 2% MVE, while posterior deltoid, infraspinatus and trapezius activity increased by 2% MVE and biceps brachii activity increased by 6% MVE. Increased biceps brachii activity with gripping may be an initiating factor for the changes in shoulder muscle activity. The finding that hand gripping altered muscle activation, and thus the internal loading, of the shoulder may play an important role in shoulder injury development and rehabilitation.

A comprehensive analysis of muscle recruitment patterns during shoulder flexion: An electromyographic study

Clinical Anatomy, 2011

Although flexion is a common component of the routine clinical assessment of the shoulder the muscle recruitment patterns during this movement are not clearly understood making valid interpretation of potential muscle dysfunction problematic. The purpose of this study was to comprehensively examine shoulder muscle activity during flexion in order to compare the activity levels and recruitment patterns of shoulder flexor, scapular lateral rotator and rotator cuff muscles. Electromyographic (EMG) data were recorded from 12 shoulder muscles sites in 15 volunteers. Flexion was performed in standing in the sagittal plane at no load, 20%, and 60% of each subject's maximum load. EMG data were normalized to maximum values obtained during maximum voluntary contractions. Results indicated that anterior deltoid, pectoralis major, supraspinatus, infraspinatus, serratus anterior, upper, and lower trapezius were activated at similar moderate levels. However, subscapularis was activated at low levels and significantly lower than supraspinatus and infraspinatus. Similar activity patterns across time were demonstrated in the muscles that produce flexion torque, laterally rotate the scapula, as well as supraspinatus and infraspinatus, and did not change as flexion load increased. The onset of activity in supraspinatus and anterior deltoid occurred at the same time and prior to movement of the limb at all loads with infraspinatus activity also occurring prior to movement onset at the medium and high load conditions only. Posterior rotator cuff muscles appear to be counterbalancing anterior translational forces produced during flexion and it would appear that supraspinatus is one of the muscles that consistently ''initiates'' flexion. Clin. Anat. 24:619-626, 2011. V V C 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Muscle activation patterns in patients with recurrent shoulder instability

International Journal of Shoulder Surgery, 2012

} Muscle activation patterns in patients with recurrent shoulder instability } Symptomatic chronic long head of biceps rupture: Surgical results } Does age or gender of the patient influence the outcome of type II superior labrum anterior and posterior repair? } Surgical treatment of lateral clavicle fractures associated with complete coracoclavicular ligament disruption: Clinico-radiological outcomes of acromioclavicular joint sparing and spanning implants } Septic failure is not a septic loosening: A case report of a failed shoulder prosthesis } Locking plates for displaced fractures of the lateral end of clavicle: Potential pitfalls } Improved clinical utility in clavicle fracture decision-making with true orthogonal radiographs C o n t e n t s ABSTRACT Purpose: The aim of this study is to present muscle patterns observed with the direction of instability in a series of patients presenting with recurrent shoulder instability. Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was carried out on shoulder instability cases referred for fine wire dynamic electromyography (DEMG) studies at a specialist upper limb centre between 1981 and 2003. An experienced consultant clinical neurophysiologist performed dual needle insertion into four muscles (pectoralis major (PM), latissimus dorsi (LD), anterior deltoid (AD) and infraspinatus ) in shoulders that were suspected to have increased or suppressed activation of muscles that could be contributing to the instability. Raw EMG signals were obtained while subjects performed simple uniplanar movements of the shoulder. The presence or absence of muscle activation was noted and compared to clinical diagnosis and direction of instability. Results: A total of 140 (26.6%) shoulders were referred for fine wire EMG, and 131 studies were completed. Of the shoulders tested, 122 shoulders (93%) were identified as having abnormal patterns and nine had normal patterns. PM was found to be more active in 60% of shoulders presenting with anterior instability. LD was found to be more active in 81% of shoulders with anterior instability and 80% with posterior instability. AD was found to be more active in 22% of shoulders with anterior instability and 18% with posterior instability. IS was found to be inappropriately inactive in only 3% of shoulders with anterior instability but in 25% with posterior instability. Clinical assessment identified 93% of cases suspected to have muscle patterning, but the specificity of the clinical assessment was only correct in 11% of cases.