Avaliação da atividade e sequência de ativação dos músculos do ombro e da cintura escapular em mulheres com dor e sem dor

Abstract

Shoulder pain is one of the most common musculoskeletal problems in the population and the occurrence of complaints increases with age, and generally affect more women than men. The first article aimed to determine whether the pain causes changes in the electromyographic activity of the shoulder girdle muscles during an isometric task of arm elevation in the scapular plane. Twenty two women were selected, divided into two groups: 11 women with shoulder pain and 11 women without shoulder pain. Women in the shoulder pain group were submitted to pain and disability assessments, and both groups completed an assessment form with the personal data. Subsequently, they were asked to perform an isometric task of arm elevation in the scapular plane. The second article aimed to compare the muscle onset timing activation and the sequence of activation of the superficial muscles of the glenohumeral and scapulothoracic joints, in women with shoulder pain and women without shoulder pain, during the dynamic arm elevation movement in the scapular plane. Twenty two women were selected, divided into two groups: 11 women with shoulder pain and 11 asymptomatic women for control. The evaluation form was filled out with the personal data of all participants, together with the pain intensity and disability assessments for the shoulder pain group. Soon after, the women performed a dynamic arm elevation movement in the scapular plane. In both articles, the movement performed was an active arm elevation of 80° in the scapular plane and surface electromyography was used to evaluate the anterior deltoid, middle deltoid, upper trapezius and middle trapezius muscles. For the first article, the tests were performed during the isometric movement (maintained an isometry for 5 seconds), and for the second article during the dynamic arm elevation movement in the scapular plane. The maximum voluntary isometric contraction test (MVIC) of each muscle was also performed to normalize the data. In the first article we conclude that there are differences in the electromyographic activity of the anterior and middle deltoid muscles between women with and without shoulder pain, reflecting that pain has an important influence on altering muscle activity. For the second article we concluded that the onset timing activation of the muscles was similar among women in the groups with shoulder pain and without shoulder pain, and although an activation sequence pattern was not found, it was possible to observe that the middle trapezius was the first muscle to be activated in most women, making clear its importance as a scapular stabilizer.