Trunk muscle activation during golf swing: Baseline and threshold

Abstract

a b s t r a c tThere is a lack of studies regarding EMG temporal analysis during dynamic and complex motor tasks, such as golf swing. The aim of this study is to analyze the EMG onset during the golf swing, by comparing two different threshold methods. Method A threshold was determined using the baseline activity recorded between two maximum voluntary contraction (MVC). Method B threshold was calculated using the mean EMG activity for 1000 ms before the 500 ms prior to the start of the Backswing. Two different clubs were also studied. Three-way repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare methods, muscles and clubs. Two-way mixed Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC) with absolute agreement was used to determine the methods reliability.Club type usage showed no influence in onset detection. Rectus abdominis (RA) showed the higher agreement between methods. Erector spinae (ES), on the other hand, showed a very low agreement, that might be related to postural activity before the swing. External oblique (EO) is the first being activated, at 1295 ms prior impact. There is a similar activation time between right and left muscles sides, although the right EO showed better agreement between methods than left side. Therefore, the algorithms usage is task-and muscle-dependent.

Electromyographic analysis of lower limb muscles during the golf swing performed with three different clubs

“…For a better understanding of how the golf swing is performed, the following kinesiological methods have been used to characterise neuromuscular patterns: force platforms to measure ground reaction forces (Barrentine, Fleisig, Johnson, & Woolley, 1994); 3D kinematic and kinetic analysis (Egret, Vincent, Weber, Dujardin, & Chollet, 2003;Gatt, Pavol, Parker, & Grabiner, 1998) and electromyography (EMG) (Marta, Silva, Castro, Pezarat-Correia, & Cabri, 2012). Most golf swing EMG studies have focused on trunk movement (Bulbulian, Ball, & Seaman, 2001;Cole & Grimshaw, 2008;Horton, Lindsay, & Macintosh, 2001;Marta, Silva, Vaz, Bruno, & Pezarat-Correia, 2013;Pink, Perry, & Jobe, 1993;Silva et al, 2013;Watkins, Uppal, Perry, Pink, & Dinsay, 1996). There is also published EMG research on upper limb muscle performance, mainly on the proximal muscles acting on the scapula (Kao, Pink, Jobe, & Perry, 1995) and glenohumeral joint (Jobe, Moynes, & Antonelli, 1986;Jobe, Perry, & Pink, 1989;Pink, Jobe, & Perry, 1990).…”

Recurrence quantification analysis and support vector machines for golf handicap and low back pain EMG classification

“…This means that in LHc golfer's the pelvis turns back towards the ball while the right shoulder continues to rotate to the right. So, during the DS, the left EO activity increases (Ashish et al, 2008), remaining high close to the impact (Ashish et al, 2008;Silva et al, 2013). The BS and the DS also show a high capacity to discriminate the Hc, showing the BS higher accuracy.…”

Evidence of a Double Pulse Muscle Activation Strategy in Drummers’ Trunk and Upper Limb Muscles During High-velocity Cymbal Crashes

“…The period of muscle relaxation in the middle of the motion allows the limb to accelerate, increasing strike velocity and, ultimately, the effective mass of the strike (McGill et al, 2010). The DPMA has been observed in the trunk muscles of elite MMA athletes (McGill et al, 2010), and in the trunk, rotator cuff, and/or upper limb muscles when driving a golf ball (Jobe et al, 1983;McGill, 2009, Silva et al, 2013, as well as in pitching (Gowan et al, 1987) and batting a baseball (Ball et al, 2019). Thus, in sporting scenarios that require quick ballistic movements, athletes appear to use the DPMA as a motor control strategy to increase strike velocity, thereby increasing the effective mass behind the strike and the force delivered to the target.…”