Scapular Stabilizer Activity during Bodyblade®, Cuff Weights, and Thera-Band® Use
in Journal of Sport RehabilitationContext:
There are numerous ways to overload the scapular stabilizers.
Objectives:
To assess scapular stabilizer activity using the Bodyblade® and other traditional training devices.
Design:
Repeated measures analysis of surface EMG data collected from the upper trapezius (UT), lower trapezius (LT), and serratus anterior (SA) during shoulder flexion and abduction using Bodyblade®, cuff weight, and Thera-Band® resistance.
Setting:
Laboratory.
Participants:
Thirty collegiate athletes (20.0 ± 1.7 years).
Intervention:
Participants performed 10 repetitions of shoulder flexion and abduction.
Main Outcome Measures:
For each movement, normalized root mean square values (NrmsEMG) were computed for each muscle during each repetition under each training condition. Data were analyzed using 3 (condition) × 10 (repetition) repeated measures ANOVAs.
Results:
During shoulder flexion and abduction, the NrmsEMG of the UT, LT, and SA were significantly greater when using the Bodyblade® than the Thera-Band® or cuff weight.
Conclusion:
The Bodyblade® produces greater scapular activity than traditional resistance techniques.
The authors are with the Dept. of Exercise and Sport Sciences at the University of Miami in Coral Gables, FL. E-mail: jsignorile@miami.edu.
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