AN ELECTROMYOGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF THE SHOULDER COMPLEX MUSCULATURE WHILE PERFORMING EXERCISES USING THE BODYBLADE® CLASSIC AND BODYBLADE® PRO

• Published in: International journal of sports physical therapy 2016-04, Vol.11 (2), p.175-189
• Main Authors: Escamilla, Rafael F, Yamashiro, Kyle, Dunning, Russell, Mikla, Tony, Grover, Matthew, Kenniston, Mike, Loera, Jesse, Tanasse, Travis, Andrews, James R
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original Research
• ISSN: 2159-2896; 2159-2896

In spite of the bodyblade (BB®) being used in clinical settings during shoulder and trunk rehabilitation and training for 24 years, there are only five known scientific papers that have described muscle recruitment patterns using the BB®. Moreover, there are no known studies that have examined muscle activity differences between males and females (who both use the bodyblade in the clinic) or between different BB® devices. The primary purposes of this investigation were to compare glenohumeral and scapular muscle activity between the Bodyblade® Pro (BB®P) and Bodyblade® Classic (BB®C) devices while performing a variety of exercises, as well as to compare muscle activity between males and females. It was hypothesized that glenohumeral and scapular muscle activity would be significantly greater in females compared to males, significantly greater while performing exercises with the BB®P compared to the BB®C, significantly different among various BB® exercises, and greater with two hand use compared to one hand use for the same exercise. Controlled laboratory study using a repeated-measures, counterbalanced design. Twenty young adults, 10 males and 10 females, performed seven BB® exercises using the BB®C and BB®P, which are: 1) BB®1 - one hand, up and down motion, arm at side; 2) BB®2 - one hand, front to back motion, shoulder flexed 90 °; 3) BB®3 - one hand, up and down motion, shoulder abducted 90 °; 4) BB®4 - one hand, side to side motion, shoulder and elbow flexed 45 °; 5) BB®5 - two hands, side to side motion, shoulders and elbows flexed 45 °; 6) BB®6 - two hands, up and down motion, shoulders flexed 90 °; and 7) BB®7 - two hands, front to back motion, shoulders flexed 90 °. EMG data were collected from anterior and posterior deltoids, sternal pectoralis major, latissimus dorsi, infraspinatus, upper and lower trapezius, and serratus anterior during 10 sec of continuous motion for each exercise, and then normalized using maximum voluntary isometric contractions (MVIC). A two-factor repeated measures Analysis of Variance (p