Abstract
BackgroundProper alignment of the scapula during upper extremity motion is important in maintaining shoulder joint function and health. Push-up plus exercise is considered as one of the best exercise to strengthen the muscles that stabilize the scapula. The purpose of the study is to examine the effects of push-up plus variants and elbow position on vertical ground reaction force and electromyographical activity of four shoulder muscles during concentric contraction.MethodsA total of 22 healthy subjects volunteered for the study. Each of the subjects performed both modified and traditional push-up plus. Modified push-up plus was performed with both knees and hands touching the ground while the traditional push-up plus was executed with hands and feet contacting the ground. Electromyography (EMG) of the upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT), infraspinatus (INFRA), and serratus anterior (SA), and vertical ground reaction forces (vGRF) were collected.ResultsThe traditional push-up plus exhibited higher EMG activity in all muscles tested (P < .05) and vertical ground reaction force (P < .001) compared to modified push-up plus. The highest difference in EMG activity between the two exercises was observed with the Serratus Anterior muscle (22%). Additionally, the traditional push-up plus presented a higher vGRF compared to the modified push-up plus (P < .001) by 17%. The SA had the greatest EMG activity compared to the other muscles tested during the concentric phase of the traditional push-up plus, and this did not occur during the plus phase of the exercise.ConclusionThe highest activity of the serratus anterior occurred at 55° of elbow extension during the concentric phase of the traditional PUP and not at the plus phase of the exercise. This suggests that when prescribing an exercise to target the serratus anterior, a traditional push-up is adequate and the plus-phase is not necessary. However, for patients that cannot perform a traditional push-up, the modified push-up plus would be a great alternative to strengthen their serratus anterior.
Highlights
Proper alignment of the scapula during upper extremity motion is important in maintaining shoulder joint function and health
In order to address this limitation, the investigator did a specific manual muscle test for every muscle tested before the normalization of the signal and during each trial. This current study demonstrated that traditional push-up plus (PUP) resulted in increased EMG activity of the lower trapezius (LT), serratus anterior (SA), upper trapezius (UT) and INF compared to the modified PUP during the concentric phase
The highest activity of the serratus anterior occurred at 55° of elbow extension during the concentric phase of the traditional PUP
Summary
Proper alignment of the scapula during upper extremity motion is important in maintaining shoulder joint function and health. Proper positioning of the scapula during upper extremity movement is crucial for the maintenance of joint function and health, optimal muscle lengths, force production, and bony and soft tissue alignment [1]. This positioning is afforded by the coordinated actions of muscles that both anchor the scapula to the trunk, and. San Juan et al BMC Musculoskeletal Disorders (2015) 16:23 and results in pain [5,6,7] For this reason, one of the chief objectives in the rehabilitation of shoulder injuries is reestablishing proper scapular positioning during movement. The PUP has been shown to result in substantial activation of the scapular stabilizer muscle [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
