Surface EMG during the Push-up plus Exercise on a Stable Support or Swiss Ball: Scapular Stabilizer Muscle Exercise

Area of Science:

• Sports Medicine
• Biomechanics
• Rehabilitation Science

Background:

• Scapular stabilizer strengthening is vital for effective shoulder rehabilitation.
• Understanding muscle activation patterns during exercises informs program design.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare muscle activity during push-up plus exercises on stable versus unstable surfaces.
• To identify optimal exercise variations for shoulder rehabilitation.

Main Methods:

• Surface electromyography (EMG) recorded activity of upper trapezius, middle trapezius, lower trapezius, serratus anterior, and latissimus dorsi.
• Ten healthy men performed standard and knee push-up plus exercises on stable and unstable bases of support.

Main Results:

• Muscle activation was greater on unstable surfaces compared to stable surfaces.
• Serratus anterior showed higher activation during scapular protraction, while upper trapezius showed higher activation during scapular retraction.
• Increased root-mean-square normalized EMG values were observed on unstable supports.

Conclusions:

• The standard push-up plus exercise on an unstable base of support effectively increases muscle activity.
• This exercise variation is particularly beneficial for activating the upper/middle trapezius and serratus anterior.
• Findings support the use of unstable surfaces in shoulder rehabilitation programs for enhanced scapular stabilization.