Electromyographic activity in deadlift exercise and its variants. A systematic review

Area of Science:

• Biomechanics and Exercise Physiology
• Neuromuscular Function
• Systematic Review Methodology

Background:

• The deadlift exercise is a fundamental compound movement.
• Understanding muscle activation patterns is crucial for optimizing training and injury prevention.
• Previous research has yielded varied findings on muscle recruitment during deadlifts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and synthesize existing literature on muscle activation during the deadlift and its variations.
• To identify the most frequently studied muscles and compare their activation levels.
• To highlight discrepancies and suggest methodological improvements for future research.

Main Methods:

• Systematic literature search across PubMed, OVID, Scopus, and Web of Science databases.
• Inclusion of studies published until March 2019, adhering to PRISMA guidelines.
• Analysis of surface electromyography (sEMG) data focusing on amplitude, muscle activation, and muscular activity in healthy, trained individuals.

Main Results:

• Biceps femoris was the most frequently investigated muscle, followed by gluteus maximus, vastus lateralis, and erector spinae.
• Erector spinae and quadriceps demonstrated higher activation compared to gluteus maximus and biceps femoris during deadlift variations.
• Romanian deadlifts showed lower erector spinae activation relative to biceps femoris and semitendinosus.

Conclusions:

• Erector spinae and quadriceps are significantly activated during deadlifts, surpassing gluteus maximus and biceps femoris.
• Within the hamstring group, the semitendinosus muscle exhibits slightly greater activation than the biceps femoris.
• Standardization of surface electromyography (sEMG) methodologies is essential for reliable and comparable research outcomes in deadlift studies.