Background and Purpose. Treatment of patients with impingement symptoms commonly includes exercises intended to restore “normal” movement patterns. Evidence that indicates the existence of abnormal patterns in people with shoulder pain is limited. The purpose of this investigation was to analyze glenohumeral and scapulothoracic kinematics and associated scapulothoracic muscle activity in a group of subjects with symptoms of shoulder impingement relative to a group of subjects without symptoms of shoulder impingement matched for occupational exposure to overhead work. Subjects. Fifty-two subjects were recruited from a population of construction workers with routine exposure to overhead work. Methods. Surface electromyographic data were collected from the upper and lower parts of the trapezius muscle and from the serratus anterior muscle. Electromagnetic sensors simultaneously tracked 3-dimensional motion of the trunk, scapula, and humerus during humeral elevation in the scapular plane in 3 hand-held load conditions: (1) no load, (2) 2.3-kg load, and (3) 4.6-kg load. An analysis of variance model was used to test for group and load effects for 3 phases of motion (31°–60°, 61°–90°, and 91°–120°). Results. Relative to the group without impingement, the group with impingement showed decreased scapular upward rotation at the end of the first of the 3 phases of interest, increased anterior tipping at the end of the third phase of interest, and increased scapular medial rotation under the load conditions. At the same time, upper and lower trapezius muscle electromyographic activity increased in the group with impingement as compared with the group without impingement in the final 2 phases, although the upper trapezius muscle changes were apparent only during the 4.6-kg load condition. The serratus anterior muscle demonstrated decreased activity in the group with impingement across all loads and phases. Conclusion and Discussion. Scapular tipping (rotation about a medial to lateral axis) and serratus anterior muscle function are important to consider in the rehabilitation of patients with symptoms of shoulder impingement related to occupational exposure to overhead work.

https://ir.uiowa.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1000&context=oeh_pubs

Alterations in Shoulder Kinematics and Associated Muscle Activity in People With Symptoms of Shoulder Impingement

This paper presents a conceptual model for the pathogenesis of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. The model contains sets of cascading exposure, dose, capacity, and response variables, such that response at one level can act as dose at the next. Response to one or more doses can diminish or increase the capacity for responding to successive doses. The model is used as a framework for discussing the development of work-related muscle, tendon, and nerve disorders. It is intended as a beginning, to be modified to explain new findings as they become available. In research, it can help to identify areas needing additional data for the development and expression of work-related musculoskeletal disorders. Researchers can use it to design laboratory and field studies. In practice, it demonstrates the relationship between common exposure factors and different responses. This information can be used to evaluate and design jobs for the prevention of work-related musculoskeletal disorders.

A Conceptual Model for work-related Neck and upper-limb Musculoskeletal Disorders

Direct 3-dimensional measurement of scapular kinematics during dynamic movements in vivo

https://biomechanics.uoregon.edu/obl/articles/2003_michener_clinbiomech.pdf

Anatomical and biomechanical mechanisms of subacromial impingement syndrome

The validation of two noninvasive methods for measuring the dynamic three-dimensional kinematics of the human scapula with a magnetic tracking device is presented. One method consists of simply fixing a sensor directly to the acromion and the other consists of mounting a sensor to an adjustable plastic jig that fits over the scapular spine and acromion. The concurrent validity of both methods was assessed separately by comparison with data collected simultaneously from an invasive approach in which pins were drilled directly into the scapula. The differences between bone and skin based measurements represents an estimation of skin motion artifact. The average motion pattern of each surface method was similar to that measured by the invasive technique, especially below 120 degrees of elevation. These results indicate that with careful consideration, both methods may offer reasonably accurate representations of scapular motion that may be used to study shoulder pathologies and help develop computational models.

Dynamic Measurements of Three-Dimensional Scapular Kinematics: A Validation Study

Biomechanical model of the human shoulder joint--II. The shoulder rhythm.

Biomechanical model of the human shoulder--I. Elements.

The problem of the increasingly common shoulder pain syndromes in industry was investigated by biomechanic and epidemiologic methods. Rotator cuff tendinitis constitutes a major problem in people with arduous occupations, i.e., shipyard welders (prevalence ratio, 18.3%), and steel plateworkers (16.2%). Static work seems to induce symptoms at an earlier age. The clinical diagnosis was supraspinatus tendinitis. The biomechanic studies confirmed the view that the shoulder muscles are heavily loaded when the arm is elevated. Excessive hand tool mass increases the strain markedly in some muscles, particularly the supraspinatus and the infraspinatus. The hypovascularity of the supraspinatus tendon is then likely to be accentuated by high intramuscular pressure that reduces the blood flow through the muscle. The strain on the supraspinatus muscle in overhead work is an important factor contributing to prolonged shoulder disability. An analysis of the distribution of loads imposed on the shoulder in practical working situations can be based on observations of working postures and external forces.

Shoulder pain and heavy manual labor.

Four shoulder muscles (the supraspinatus, the infraspinatus, the anterior and middle portion of the deltoid, and the descending part of the trapezius) were examined with electromyography in abducted arm positions. By using feedback techniques, we found that the subjects could reduce the EMG activity voluntarily by 22-47% in the trapezius muscle while keeping different static postures. This was not true for any other muscle investigated. When the trapezius activity was reduced there was a tendency towards an increase of EMG activity in some other shoulder muscles, particularly the infraspinatus. The findings may be related to relaxation from an initial overstabilization of the shoulder, or redistribution of load among synergists. It is suggested that the possibility of reducing trapezius activity may be of ergonomic significance. It is also noted that EMG trapezius activity may not serve as a universal descriptor of total muscular load in the shoulder.

Christian Högfors

Papers

Biomechanical model of the human shoulder joint--II. The shoulder rhythm.

Biomechanical model of the human shoulder--I. Elements.

Shoulder pain and heavy manual labor.

Voluntary redistribution of muscle activity in human shoulder muscles.

Autobalancing of Rotors