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Supraspinatus activation precedes the infraspinatus muscle during the shoulder abduction in different levels of handgrip strengths

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Abstract

Purpose

It is unknown whether the effect of increased distal stabilization can trigger the onset of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus muscles, and if handgrip strength levels can elicit early proximal shoulder stabilization. Hence, we aimed to compare the electromyography activation of the Supraspinatus and Infraspinatus muscles during the abduction motion with handgrip strength in different levels (0%, 30%, and 60%) of maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC).

Methods

Twenty participants were submitted to abduction shoulder movement with three different handgrip strengths (0%, 30%, and 60%) using electromyography. The onset of Supraspinatus and Infraspinatus muscles was measured. A Friedman’s test was used to compare handgrip conditions and the onset between muscles. Then, multiple comparisons were performed. All alpha errors were set to 5%.

Results

There was an anticipated onset for Supraspinatus muscle at 0% of the MVIC {− 0.554 [− 0.657 to − 0.497] ms vs. − 0.098 [− 0.264 to 0.108] ms, p < 0.001}, at 30% of the MVIC {− 0.560 [− 0.628 to − 0.521] ms vs. − 0.125 [− 0.243 to − 0.031] ms, p < 0.001), and at 60% of the MVIC {− 0.543 [− 0.573 to − 0.514] ms vs. − 0.215 [− 0.325 to − 0.017] ms, p = 0.001}.

Conclusion

Shoulder abduction with handgrip triggers the onset of the Supraspinatus and Infraspinatus muscles. The Supraspinatus muscle elicits an anticipated onset. Two stabilizing strategies are suggested; the internal rotation instability capable be induced by the deltoid muscles (abduction movement) and from the wrist flexor-pronator muscles (handgrip). Both tasks are counteracted and anticipated by the action of the Supraspinatus and Infraspinatus muscles.

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The authors do not have any financial. This research did not receive any grant support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Centro de Investigación en Medicina, Ejercicio, Deporte y Salud, Clínica MEDS, 7691236, Santiago, RM, Chile

    Jorge Torres & Guillermo Droppelmann

  2. Health Sciences PhD program, Universidad Católica de Murcia UCAM, Campus de los Jerónimos nº135, Guadalupe, 30107, Murcia, Spain

    Guillermo Droppelmann

  3. Laboratorio de Biomecánica, Centro de Innovación MEDS, Clínica MEDS, 7691236, Santiago, Chile

    Rony Silvestre & Carlos De la Fuente

  4. Laboratory of Neuromechanics, Universidade Federal do Pampa, Campus Uruguaiana, Uruguaiana, 96400590, Brazil

    Carlos De la Fuente

  5. Carrera de Kinesiología, Departamento de Cs. de la Salud, Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, 7820436, Santiago, Chile

    Carlos De la Fuente

  6. Principles and Practice of Clinical Research (PPCR), Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, Boston, MA, 02115, USA

    Guillermo Droppelmann

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  1. Jorge Torres
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Correspondence to Carlos De la Fuente.

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Torres, J., Droppelmann, G., Silvestre, R. et al. Supraspinatus activation precedes the infraspinatus muscle during the shoulder abduction in different levels of handgrip strengths. Sport Sci Health 18, 915–921 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11332-021-00875-z

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