Recruitment of the Serratus Anterior as an Accessory Muscle of Ventilation during Graded Exercise

Abstract

Abstract:The role of the serratus anterior (SA) as an accessory muscle of ventilation and its physiologic significance under exercising conditions remains unclear. Recent investigations have utilized the measurement of SA as an analog for respiratory muscle oxygenation. The purpose of this investigation was to examine the action of the serratus anterior via surface electromyography (EMG) and near infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) during exercise while controlling for muscular effort not related to ventilation. Nine healthy volunteers (age = 24.4 ± 0.5 years, O 2max = 3.416 ± 0.35 l min -1 ; Epeak = 127.5 ± 13.1 l min -1 ; TV peak = 2.844 ± 0.226 l) completed a graded exercise test to volitional exhaustion on a cycle ergometer. The subjects' arms were folded and relaxed at the abdomen to minimize muscular effort resulting from scapular stabilization during pushing/forward flexion of the arms associated with cycle ergometry. O 2 and E were monitored breath-by-breath throughout exercise. EMG was recorded over the right SA, and a near infrared probe was placed over the left SA. No significant differences were observed throughout the graded exercise test for tissue oxygenation (StO 2 ) (n = 6, F[1.532, 7.661] = 0.895, P > 0.05, η 2 = 0.15) or EMG (n = 9, F[1.594, 12.75] = 3.067, P > 0.05, η 2 = 0.27). Although the recruitment of the SA has been postulated to aid in ventilation in various postures and disease states, it is concluded that it shows little muscular effort in healthy subjects during upright cycling. Additional research is needed to conclude the pertinence of utilizing StO 2 of the SA as an analog for respiratory muscle oxygenation.

Deoxygenation of inspiratory muscles during cycling, hyperpnoea and loaded breathing in health and disease: a systematic review

“…Was there adequate adjustment for confounding in the analyses from which the main findings were drawn? sixth intercostal interspace at the anterior axillary line' (Mancini et al, 1991(Mancini et al, , 1992(Mancini et al, , 1994a(Mancini et al, , 1996Cannon et al, 2007;Legrand et al, 2007a,b;Turner et al, 2013), and the remaining paper (Keramidas et al, 2011) designated the position being over the 7th intercostal interspace of the SA muscle and referenced (Guenette et al, 2008;Vogiatzis et al, 2009). The optode placement over SA might also reflect IC depending on the width of the muscle slips of SA that originate from the outer and superior borders of the upper eight or nine ribs (Standring, 2015).…”

“…A quantitative analysis was limited to a synthesis of study counts across categories of participant condition, type of exercise and inspiratory muscles due to the nature of the reported data. Authors were contacted if studies appeared to meet the inclusion criteria but more information was required (Cannon et al, 2007;Guenette et al, 2008;Vogiatzis et al, 2009;Keramidas et al, 2011).…”

Quantitative Computed Tomography Assessment of Respiratory Muscles in Male Patients Diagnosed with Emphysema

“…Among many respiratory muscles, we hypothesized that serratus anterior muscles can be less affected by one's exercise or right or left handedness (25). Although many respiratory mus- …”

Long Thoracic Nerve Block in Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Wedge Resection for Pneumothorax

“…Therefore, we included only American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I patients. However, the proportion of SAM used in respiratory function is minimal and the decrease of respiratory function may be limited 14 .…”