Activity of Different Shoulder Muscles during Dynamic Bear Crawl Exercise

Abstract

Comparative repeated-measure study done on 21 healthy male subjects to compare electromyographic (EMG) activity of the serratus anterior (SA), upper trapezius (UT), middle trapezius (MT), and lower trapezius (LT) muscles during push-up plus (PUP) and dynamic bear crawl (DBC) exercises. The subjects performed PUP and DBC exercises 3 times on a stable surface. Surface EMG activity of the SA, UT, MT, and LT was collected from the dominant arm and presented as a percentage of the maximal voluntary contraction. One-way repeated-measures ANOVA with a Friedman’s test was performed to compare differences in EMG activity of SA, UT, MT, and LT during PUP and DBC exercises. The SA and UT activities were significantly greater during the DBC exercise. LT and MT muscle activities were significantly greater during the PUP exercise. The peak and average SA and UT activity were greatest during the DBC exercise on a static stable surface. This result indicates that DBC exercise on the static stable surface is more effective to activate the SA and UT.