Muscle loading and activation of the shoulder joint during humeral external rotation by pulley and variable...

The aim of the study was to evaluate differences in the loading of glenohumeral joint muscles between a cable pulley machine (CP) and variable resistance machine (VR) during axial humeral external rotation.

Eleven healthy male subjects took part in the study. Intramuscular electromyography from five muscles of the shoulder (medial deltoid, supraspinatus, infraspinatus and upper part of the trapezius), torque and power output was measured at different rotation angles and with different loads (10%, 50% and 100% of 1RM). Also the compressive and shear force in the glenohumeral joint was analyzed at the horizontal level at angles of rotation. External rotation was performed with a self-selected velocity on the scapular plane.

In the CP the range of movement became narrower than in the VR with increasing workload (P<0.05). The activity of the infraspinatus did not grow in the CP after 50% load, while it did in the VR (P<0.01). The upper part of the trapezius was activated less in the CP than in the VR (P<0.01) machine when using 50% and 100% loads. In comparison with the CP, the shear forces that pull the head of the humerus in a posterior direction were more evenly distributed in the VR than in the CP at different angles of rotation (P<0.001).

The VR seems to make a broader range of motion possible, lager activation the primary external rotators and evenly distributed shear forces than the CP. However, performing the exercise with VR and high load also activates the upper part of the trapezius.

These findings can be used in the development of exercise designs, methods and equipment for shoulder injury rehabilitation.