HOME HELP CONTACT US SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:
Sign In to gain access to subscriptions and/or personal tools.

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Decker, M. J. Articles by Hawkins, R. J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Decker, M. J. Articles by Hawkins, R. J. Related Collections Rehabilitation/Training

Subscapularis Muscle Activity during Selected Rehabilitation Exercises

Michael J. Decker, MS, John M. Tokish, MD, Henry B. Ellis, Michael R. Torry, PhD and Richard J. Hawkins, MD

From the Steadman-Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation, Vail, Colorado

Presented in part at the Fourth World Congress of Biomechanics, Calgary, Canada, August 2002.

Address correspondence to Michael J. Decker, MS, mike.decker{at}mail.utexas.edu

Address reprint requests to Michael R. Torry, PhD, Biomechanics Research Laboratory, Steadman-Hawkins Sports Medicine Foundation, 181 West Meadow Drive, Suite 1000, Vail, CO 81657

Background: The upper and lower portions of the subscapularis muscle are independently innervated and activated.

Hypothesis: Upper and lower portions of the subscapularis muscle demonstrate different activation levels and require different exercises for rehabilitation.

Study Design: Controlled laboratory study.

Methods: Fifteen healthy subjects performed seven shoulder-strengthening exercises. Electromyographic data were collected from the latissimus dorsi, teres major, pectoralis major, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, and upper and lower subscapularis muscles.

Results: Upper subscapularis muscle activity was greater than lower subscapularis muscle activity for all exercises except for internal rotation with 0° of humeral abduction. The push-up plus and diagonal exercises consistently stressed the upper and lower subscapularis muscles to the greatest extent.

Conclusions: Humeral abduction was found to have a strong influence on the selective activation of the upper versus the lower subscapularis muscle and thus supported the design of different exercise continuums. In addition, the push-up plus and diagonal exercises were found to be superior to traditional internal rotation exercises for activating both functional portions of the subscapularis muscle.

Clinical Relevance: Our results showing that the upper and lower portions of the subscapularis muscle are functionally independent may affect training or rehabilitation protocols for the rotator cuff muscles.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				K. C. Huxel, C. B. Swanik, K. A. Swanik, A. R. Bartolozzi, H. J. Hillstrom, M. R. Sitler, and D. M. Moffit Stiffness Regulation and Muscle-Recruitment Strategies of the Shoulder in Response to External Rotation Perturbations J. Bone Joint Surg. Am., January 1, 2008; 90(1): 154 - 162. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. Dark, K. A Ginn, and M. Halaki Shoulder Muscle Recruitment Patterns During Commonly Used Rotator Cuff Exercises: An Electromyographic Study Physical Therapy, August 1, 2007; 87(8): 1039 - 1046. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. B. Myers, Y.-Y. Ju, J.-H. Hwang, P. J. McMahon, M. W. Rodosky, and S. M. Lephart Reflexive Muscle Activation Alterations in Shoulders With Anterior Glenohumeral Instability Am. J. Sports Med., June 1, 2004; 32(4): 1013 - 1021. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]