Changes in Shoulder Girdle Muscle Activity and Ratio During Pilates-Based Exercises

Among the Pilates-based exercises, the modified side-arm (MSA) and modified high-five (MHF) are commonly used for shoulder strengthening and rehabilitation. This study examined shoulder girdle muscle activity and ratios across different spring intensities. Twenty-two healthy males performed the MSA...

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Main Authors: Seong-Ik Seo, Eui-Young Jung, Woo-Lim Mun, Su-Yeon Roh
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-02-01
Series:Life
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/2/303
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author Seong-Ik Seo
Eui-Young Jung
Woo-Lim Mun
Su-Yeon Roh
author_facet Seong-Ik Seo
Eui-Young Jung
Woo-Lim Mun
Su-Yeon Roh
author_sort Seong-Ik Seo
collection DOAJ
description Among the Pilates-based exercises, the modified side-arm (MSA) and modified high-five (MHF) are commonly used for shoulder strengthening and rehabilitation. This study examined shoulder girdle muscle activity and ratios across different spring intensities. Twenty-two healthy males performed the MSA and MHF using yellow (low), blue (medium), and red (high) springs. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to measure serratus anterior (SA), lower trapezius (LT), levator scapulae (LS), upper trapezius (UT), and middle deltoid (MD) muscle activity, along with LS/SA, LS/LT, and UT/LT ratios during concentric, isometric, and eccentric phases. Muscle activities were generally higher in the MHF than in the MSA with the same spring. Both exercises demonstrated a proportional increase in activity with spring intensity, though the activity of the SA and LT in the MHF plateaued. MHF ratios were significantly higher with the red spring. These findings indicate that the MHF stimulates shoulder girdle muscles more than the MSA, and that the MSA can further stimulate shoulder girdle muscles by increasing spring intensity. Additionally, optimal spring intensity exists in the MHF for targeting shoulder stabilization muscles. However, excessive spring intensity during the MHF may lead to abnormal compensation, emphasizing the need for careful spring intensity progression.
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spelling doaj-art-c82c1d016e834c098c8e09e9a4efb1ee2025-08-20T02:04:06ZengMDPI AGLife2075-17292025-02-0115230310.3390/life15020303Changes in Shoulder Girdle Muscle Activity and Ratio During Pilates-Based ExercisesSeong-Ik Seo0Eui-Young Jung1Woo-Lim Mun2Su-Yeon Roh3Department of Health Science, Gachon University Graduate School, Incheon 21936, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Health Science, Gachon University Graduate School, Incheon 21936, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Exercise Rehabilitation, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, Republic of KoreaDepartment of Exercise Rehabilitation, Gachon University, Incheon 21936, Republic of KoreaAmong the Pilates-based exercises, the modified side-arm (MSA) and modified high-five (MHF) are commonly used for shoulder strengthening and rehabilitation. This study examined shoulder girdle muscle activity and ratios across different spring intensities. Twenty-two healthy males performed the MSA and MHF using yellow (low), blue (medium), and red (high) springs. Surface electromyography (EMG) was used to measure serratus anterior (SA), lower trapezius (LT), levator scapulae (LS), upper trapezius (UT), and middle deltoid (MD) muscle activity, along with LS/SA, LS/LT, and UT/LT ratios during concentric, isometric, and eccentric phases. Muscle activities were generally higher in the MHF than in the MSA with the same spring. Both exercises demonstrated a proportional increase in activity with spring intensity, though the activity of the SA and LT in the MHF plateaued. MHF ratios were significantly higher with the red spring. These findings indicate that the MHF stimulates shoulder girdle muscles more than the MSA, and that the MSA can further stimulate shoulder girdle muscles by increasing spring intensity. Additionally, optimal spring intensity exists in the MHF for targeting shoulder stabilization muscles. However, excessive spring intensity during the MHF may lead to abnormal compensation, emphasizing the need for careful spring intensity progression.https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/2/303shoulder girdle muscleelectromyographyPilates-based exercisemuscle activity ratio
spellingShingle Seong-Ik Seo
Eui-Young Jung
Woo-Lim Mun
Su-Yeon Roh
Changes in Shoulder Girdle Muscle Activity and Ratio During Pilates-Based Exercises
Life
shoulder girdle muscle
electromyography
Pilates-based exercise
muscle activity ratio
title Changes in Shoulder Girdle Muscle Activity and Ratio During Pilates-Based Exercises
title_full Changes in Shoulder Girdle Muscle Activity and Ratio During Pilates-Based Exercises
title_fullStr Changes in Shoulder Girdle Muscle Activity and Ratio During Pilates-Based Exercises
title_full_unstemmed Changes in Shoulder Girdle Muscle Activity and Ratio During Pilates-Based Exercises
title_short Changes in Shoulder Girdle Muscle Activity and Ratio During Pilates-Based Exercises
title_sort changes in shoulder girdle muscle activity and ratio during pilates based exercises
topic shoulder girdle muscle
electromyography
Pilates-based exercise
muscle activity ratio
url https://www.mdpi.com/2075-1729/15/2/303
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