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Muscle Coordination and Action01:24

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Targeted gripping reduces shoulder muscle activity and variability.

Joanne N Hodder1, Peter J Keir

  • 1Department of Kinesiology, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON, Canada.

Journal of Electromyography and Kinesiology : Official Journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology
|December 14, 2011
PubMed
Summary

Visually targeted gripping reduces shoulder muscle activity and variability during repeated elevation tasks. This finding suggests potential implications for understanding upper extremity disorders in occupational settings.

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Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Occupational Health
  • Musculoskeletal Research

Background:

  • Repetitive shoulder elevation is common in occupational tasks.
  • Understanding muscle adaptations to gripping is crucial for preventing upper extremity disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the sustained effect of visually targeted gripping on shoulder muscle activity during repeated exposures.
  • To analyze how grip force influences muscle activation patterns during shoulder elevation.

Main Methods:

  • Surface electromyography (sEMG) monitored eight shoulder muscles in eleven healthy males.
  • Participants performed shoulder elevation at 90° in the scapular plane with and without a 30% grip force.
  • A protocol of non-gripping, gripping, and control trials assessed muscle activity changes over 15 gripping exposures.

Main Results:

  • Gripping significantly decreased activity in the anterior deltoid, trapezius, and latissimus dorsi muscles.
  • Muscle activity variability was reduced across all monitored shoulder muscles during gripping.
  • These changes suggest force transmission through multi-articular muscles from the forearm to the shoulder.

Conclusions:

  • Visually targeted gripping leads to significant, albeit small, reductions in shoulder muscle activity and variability.
  • Findings support the hypothesis that gripping strategies may influence the risk of upper extremity disorders in occupational environments.
  • Further research is warranted to explore the long-term effects and ergonomic implications.